iiiiiii 


/\v 


1923   *) 


BS  2505  .B872  1918 
Burrell,  David  James,  1844- 

1926. 
Paul's  campaigns 


Paul's  Campaigns 


-y 


By 


NOV   7  192 


David  James  Burrell,  D.D.,  LL.D! 

Author  of  *The  Apostles'  Creed,"  "We  Would  See 

Jesus,"  "The  Old-Time  Religion,"  "At  the 

Gate  Beautiful,"  "The  CloisteF 

Book,"  etc.,  etc. 


American  Tract  Society 

Park  Avenue  and  40  th  Street 
New  York 


Copyright,  1918, 
By  American  Tract  Society 


CONTENTS 

CHAPTER  PAGE 

Introduction v 

Foreword vii 

I.    Saul  of  Tarsus 1 

11.    The  Summons .3 

III.  The  Rendezvous 5 

IV.  The  First  Journey.    Chart      ...  10 
V.        At  Antioch  in  Pisidia      ....  14 

VI.  In  the  Mountains  of  Lycaonia      .  18 

VII.        The  Return 24 

A  Parenthesis 28 

VIII.  The  Second  Journey.    Chart  ...  35 

IX.        On  to  Europe 39 

X.        At  Thessalonica 44 

XI.        At  Beroea 48 

XII.        At  Athens 53 

XIII.  At  Corinth 59 

XIV.  The  Third  Journey.     Chart     ...     65 
XV.        A  Busy  Year 71 

XVI.        At  Miletus 77 

XVII.  Bound  for  Jerusalem       ....     83 

XVIII.    At  C^sarea 92 

XIX.  Paul's  Last  Voyage.    Chart    ...  101 

XX.    At  Rome 107 


INTRODUCTION 

This  little  book  is  written  in  the  hope  of 
bringing  order  out  of  the  confusion  which 
prevails  in  the  minds  of  many  Bible  students 
as  to  the  Journeys  of  Paul. 

In  a  frontier  to\vn  in  the  West,  sixty  odd 
years  ago,  a  Sunday  School  class  of  boys  was 
required  to  commit  to  memory  the  ^^Acts  of 
the  Apostles."  Their  teacher  was  John 
Bally,  a  carpenter  by  trade,  who  found  it 
easy  enough  to  interest  his  pupils  until  they 
reached  the  Journeys  of  Paul,  where,  in  the 
labyrinth  of  crossings  by  land  and  tackings 
by  sea,  they  were,  like  Milton's  fallen  angels, 
^'in  wandering  mazes  lost." 

There  is  something  to  be  said  for  this  old- 
fashioned  way  of  lodging  the  Scriptures  in 
the  youthful  mind, — seven  verses  a  Sunday 
for  a  blue  ticket,  seven  blues  for  a  red,  seven 
reds  for  a  yellow  and  seven  yellows  for  a 
Testament  with  the  Superintendent's  name 


vi  INTRODUCTION 

on  the  fly  leaf.  The  pride  of  that  day !  Of 
course  we  wondered  what  was  the  use  of 
memorizing  such  a  verse,  for  example,  as 
this:  ^^ There  arose  a  tempestuous  wind 
called  Euroclydon;  and  when  the  ship  was 
caught  and  could  not  bear  up  into  the  wind 
we  let  her  drive":  but  many  a  time  in  the 
passing  of  the  years  that  same  remembered 
verse  has  helped  me.  What  better  can  one 
do  indeed,  when  tossed  about  by  contrary 
winds,  than  to  cast  out  the  tackling,  under- 
gird  the  ship  with  prayers  and  promises  and 
'Aether  drive'''? 

The  writer,  who  was  one  of  John  B ally's 
boys,  ventures  the  hope  that  the  following 
pages  may  inspire  a  deeper  confidence  in  the 
profitableness  of  all  Scripture  ^^f or  doctrine, 
for  reproof,  for  correction,  for  instruction 
in  righteousness." 


FOEEWORD 

ACTS  1 : 1-9 

The  opening  words  of  the  Acts  of  the 
Apostles  are  singularly  significant:  ^^The 
former  treatise  (i.  e.  The  Gospel  according 
to  Luke)  I  made,  0  TheopMlus,  concerning 
all  that  Jesus  began  both  to  do  and  to  teach/' 
By  this  we  are  given  to  understand  that  our 
Lord's  earthly  ministry  of  thirty  years  was 
only  the  beginning  of  a  campaign  of  doing 
and  teaching  which  must  continue  until 
every  knee  shall  bow  before  him. 

What  then  did  the  dying  Saviour  mean 
when  he  cried,  ^^It  is  finished!" 

Not  that  all  sinners  were  saved.  The 
paying  of  the  ransom  on  Golgotha  made  all 
alike  salvable;  but  they  had  yet  to  be  in- 
formed of  the  Good  News  and  ^^constrained 
to  come  in." 

Not  that  the  Kingdom  of  Heaven  was 
established  on  earth.  The  foundation  was 
now  laid  and  cemented  with  blood :  but  the 

vii 


PAUL'S  CAMPAIGNS 

superstructure  had  yet  to  be  reared  upon  it. 

Not  that  Christ  had  so  fully  completed  his 
work  that  nothing  remained  for  his  disciples 
to  do.  On  the  contrary,  a  long  campaign 
was  before  them,  ^^as  laborers  together" 
with  him. 

This  was  the  particular  reason  why  Jesus 
returned  after  his  resurrection  and  remained 
with  them  forty  days.  He  wished  to  mark 
out  the  Plan  of  the  Campaign  which  they 
and  their  successors  were  to  pursue  for  the 
evangelization  of  the  world. 

The  keynote  was  struck  in  the  word  **Go" 
which  rings  through  the  record  of  the  forty 
days. 

But  the  disciples  were  loath  to  go.  They 
remained  in  and  about  Jerusalem  for  at  least 
five  years,  until  persecution  drove  them  out. 
At  the  stoning  of  Stephen  ^^they  that  were 
scattered  abroad  went  everywhere  preach- 
ing the  word."  Had  they  taken  Christ  at 
his  word  in  the  first  instance  that  tragedy 
might  have  been  unnecessary.  The  Master 
is  a  great  Teacher;  in  one  way  or  another 
he  insists  on  having  his  way  with  those  who 
follow  him. 


PAUL'S  CAMPAIGNS 


SAUL  OF  TARSUS 

Acts  9  : 1-22 

A  year  or  two  after  the  death  of  Stephen 
a  young  man  named  Saul,  of  Tarsus,  was 
converted  to  Christ.  He  had  been  a  witness 
of  the  tragedy  referred  to,  had  ^^held  the 
clothes"  of  the  sanctimonious  platoon,  had 
seen  the  martyr's  face  shining  ^^as  it  had 
been  the  face  of  an  angel,"  and  had  heard 
his  cry,  ^^Lord  Jesus,  receive  my  spirit!" 
He  was  unable  to  escape  the  logic  of  that 
scene.  The  face  that  shone  amid  the  shower 
of  stones  must  have  haunted  his  dreams,  un- 
til the  day  came  when,  on  his  way  down  to 
Damascus  ^^  breathing  out  slaughter  against 
the  disciples,"  he  saw  again  the  light  that 
had  gloriJSed  the  face  of  Stephen  and  heard 
a  Voice  that  filled  his  soul  with  trembling, 
'^I   am   Jesus,   whom   thou   persecutesti" 


PAUL'S  CAMPAIGNS 

Blinded  for  a  season,  he  saw  things  hidden 
from  fleshly  eyes ;  and  turning  right-about- 
face  he  cried,  '^Lord,  what  wilt  thou  have 
me  to  do?"  The  answer  in  brief  was, 
^^Go!" 

Three  days  later,  in  the  house  of  one  Judas, 
of  Damascus,  his  commission  was  more 
clearly  outlined  as  '^a  chosen  vessel  to  de- 
clare the  name  of  Christ  to  Gentiles  and 
kings  and  the  children  of  Israel."  He  then 
received  his  sight,  was  baptized  and  straight- 
way began  to  preach  Christ. 


II 

THE  SUMMONS 

Acts  11 : 19-26 

[Here  occurs  an  Interval  of  Seven  Tears.] 

It  chanced  that  among  those  who  had  been 
scattered  abroad  at  the  stoning  of  Stephen, 
some  had  gone  with  the  gospel  as  far  as 
Antioch  in  Syria,  where  a  revival  occurred 
in  which  ^^a  great  number  believed  and 
turned  unto  the  Lord."  The  Church  at 
Jerusalem  was  appealed  to  for  help,  and  it 
sent  Barnabas,  who  was  destined  to  figure 
largely  in  the  enterprises  of  the  early 
Church. 

BARNABAS 

Our  information  about  this  man  is  as  fol- 
lows :  First,  he  was  called  ^^the  son  of  Con- 
solation," which  intimates  that  his  heart  was 
full  of  kindliness.  Second,  he  was  ^^a  good 
man";     a     most     comprehensive     phrase. 


PAUL'S  CAMPAIGNS 

Third,  he  was  ^^fuU  of  the  Holy  Ghost,"  that 
is,  sureharged.with  spiritual  light  and  power. 
Fourth^  he  was  ^* full  of  faith,"  the  faith  that 
makes  things-hoped-for  substantial  and 
establishes  things-not-seen  upon  evidence 
that  cannot  be  gainsaid.  Great  qualifica- 
tions, these,  for  a  missionary  intent  upon  the 
winning  of  souls. 

SAUL  OF  TARSUS  SENT  FOR 

The  work  at  Antioch  grew  to  such  dimen- 
sions that  Barnabas  was  moved  to  cast  about 
for  some  evangelist  to  help  him.  His 
thoughts  immediately  turned  to  Saul  of 
Tarsus.  Where  was  he  ?  After  his  conver- 
sion, feeling  the  need  of  further  thought  and 
training,  he  had  betaken  himself  to  the  Ara- 
bian desert.  What  a  theological  course  that 
was!  After  finishing  his  three  years'  cur- 
riculum among  the  solitudes,  he  returned  to 
Tarsus  to  await  further  orders. 

This  was  where  Barnabas  found  him. 
''And  he  brought  him  unto  Antioch." 
There  great  things  awaited  him,  as  we  shall 
see. 


Ill 

THE  RENDEZVOUS 

Acts  13:  1-3 

The  center  of  operations,  which  had  hith- 
erto been  in  Jerusalem,  was  now  to  be 
shifted  to  Antioch  in  Syria.  At  the  begin- 
ning of  our  narrative  the  work  in  this  great 
Gentile  center  had  continued  for  a  whole 
year  under  the  direction  of  Barnabas  and 
Paul/ 

Observe  that  Saul  at  this  time  assumed 
his  Roman  name,  which  was  the  proper  thing 
for  him  to  do  in  a  Gentile  city. 

Observe,  also,  that  the  names  of  Barnabas 
and  Paul  will  occur  hereafter  in  the  reverse 

1  A  side-light  is  thrown  upon  the  fraternal  relations  of  the 
Jewish  and  Gentile  Christians  by  the  events  recorded  in  Acts 
11:27-30  and  12.  It  appears  that  Paul  and  Barnabas  left 
Antioch,  while  the  revival  was  in  progress,  to  carry  to  Jeru- 
salem a  contribution  for  the  relief  of  the  famine-sufferers 
there.  The  state  of  affairs  in  Jerusalem  at  the  time  is  set 
forth  vividly  in  this  parenthesis,  which,  though  important  as 
a  link  in  the  history  of  the  early  Church,  is  here  omitted  be- 
cause it  has  no  immediate  bearing  on  the  story  of  the  mission- 
ary journeys. 


PAUL'S  CAMPAIGNS 

order;  because  as  the  campaign  progresses 
the  latter  forges  to  the  front. 

And  observe  that  the  preaching  of  these 
missionaries  is  so  Christocentric  that  the 
converts  are  **  first  called  Christians  in  Anti- 
och";  a  title  originally  given  in  derision  but 
clothed  with  honor  the  world  over  to  this  day. 

PREPARATIONS 

In  one  of  the  early  meetings  of  that  mem- 
orable year  at  Antioch  an  incident  oc- 
curred which  gave  a  directing  and  controll- 
ing influence  to  subsequent  events.  The 
Voice  of  the  Holy  Spirit  was  heard  saying, 
**  Separate  me  Barnabas  and  Saul  for  the 
work  whereunto  I  have  called  them."  In 
this  divine  call,  re-emphasizing  the  commis- 
sion of  Christ,  we  find  the  rationale  of  an  en- 
terprise which  was  destined  to  change  the 
currents  and  countercurrents  of  all  history 
and  set  them  flowing,  just  in  the  measure  of 
Christian  faithfulness,  toward  the  Golden 
Age. 

First.  These  men  were  '* separated''  to 
^*go."  All  followers  of  Christ  are  required 
to  ^^go"  in  like  manner,  and  to  keep  going 


PAUL'S  CAMPAIGNS 

as  witnesses  and  evangelists  of  Christ;  but 
all  are  not  separated  for  work  in  **the  re- 
gions beyond"  like  these  men.  Some  are 
called  to  go  down  to  the  porelies  of  Bethesda 
or  out  into  the  highways  and  hedges  as  city 
missionaries ;  others  to  go  through  the  fron- 
tier villages  of  Galilee  as  home  missionaries ; 
still  others  to  go  into  the  coasts  of  Tyre  and 
Sidon  and  the  regions  beyond  as  foreign 
missionaries.  But  as  Paul  and  Barnabas, 
when  they  sallied  forth,  were  sustained  by 
the  united  prayers  and  substantial  support 
of  all  who  remained  behind,  so  are  the  Chris- 
tians of  our  time  required  and  expected  to 
stand  behind  the  missionaries  whom  they 
send  forth  to  the  lands  that  lie  in  pagan 
darkness  and  the  shadow  of  death.  The 
words  of  William  Carey  when  embarking 
for  India,  ^^As  I  go  down  into  the  mine,  I 
depend  upon  you  to  hold  the  rope,"  put  to 
an  open  shame  all  those  who  oppose  world- 
wide evangelism. 

Second.  Paul  and  Barnabas  were  joined 
together  for  the  work.  So  were  the  seventy 
sent  out  two  and  two;  because  ''two  are  bet- 
ter than  one,  for  if  one  fall  the  other  will 

7 


PAUL'S  CAMPAIGNS 

lift  him  up/'  And  there  was  a  particular 
fitness  in  the  companionship  of  these  two; 
because  the  fervor  of  one  would  strengthen 
and  supplement  the  gentleness  of  the  other. 
In  process  of  time  Paul  and  Barnabas  had 
two  quarrels ;  once  over  the  wisdom  of  con- 
tinuing the  services  of  John  Mark,  whose 
courage  had  failed  him  at  the  foot  of  the 
Macedonian  hills  (Acts  15:36-40)  and 
again  over  the  necessity  of  admitting  con- 
verts to  the  church  through  the  door  of  Jew- 
ish ceremonialism  (Gal.  2:11-13).  But 
both  these  quarrels  were  adjusted  in  a 
friendly  spirit. 

Third,  They  were  not  only  ^^ separated" 
and  joined  together  but  equipped  for  their 
work.  They  had  faith,  courage  and  the 
charismata,  or  special  gifts  of  the  Spirit, 
for  the  working  of  ^^ signs  and  wonders"  to 
buttress  their  message.  Indeed  they  had 
everything  but  money.  Of  this  Barnabas 
had  none,  because  he  had  previously  given 
up  all  his  possessions  for  the  relief  of  needy 
Christians  (Acts  4 :  36,  37)  ;  and  as  for  Paul, 
he  had  undoubtedly  been  ostracised  and 
stripped  of  his  birthright  when  he  accepted 


PAUL'S  CAMPAIGNS 

Christ  (Phil.  4:16-18).  Thus  they  went 
forth,  according  to  the  Master's  injunction, 
^^ without  scrip  or  money  in  their  purse," 
but  strong  in  faith  and  in  the  power  of  the 
Holy  Ghost. 

GOING   WITHOUT  GOLD 

It  is  greatly  to  be  feared  that  in  our  time 
we  are  laying  too  exclusive  an  emphasis  on 
the  financial  factor  in  missions.  The  work 
requires  money,  no  doubt ;  but  money  is  not 
the  principal  thing.  The  most  wonderful 
results  in  the  history  of  the  propaganda 
have  been  accomplished  by  men  of  consecra- 
tion who,  once  convinced  that  they  were  sent 
of  God,  waited  for  no  further  send-off.  For 
the  furnishing  of  the  workers  and  the  endow- 
ment of  the  work  all  Christians  are  required 
to  give  generously  of  the  possessions  which, 
as  the  Lord's  stewards,  they  hold  in  trust, 
and  subject  to  His  call ;  but,  whether  there  be 
money  in  the  scrip  or  not,  whosoever  is  ^^sent 
to  seek  and  to  save  the  lost"  must  go.  And 
the  wealth  that  builds  schools,  hospitals  and 
churches  is  vain  without  an  assurance  that 
God  can,  if  need  be,  wholly  dispense  with  it. 


IV 

THE  FIRST  JOURNEY 

Acts  13  :  4-12 

The  Campaign  was  now  under  way. 

On  setting  out  from  Antioch  in  Syria  the 
two  missionaries,  accompanied  by  John 
Mark  as  a  courier  and  assistant,  turned  their 
faces  toward  the  island  of  Cyprus,  probably 
for  two  reasons;  first,  because  it  was  the 
birthplace  of  Barnabas  (Acts  4:36)  and 
second,  because  there  were  Christians  there 
to  welcome  them  (Acts  11:  20). 

AT   SALAMIS 

A  quick  run  of  a  hundred  miles,  between 
sunrise  and  sunset,  would  convey  them  from 
Seleucia,  the  seaport  of  Antioch,  to  Salamis 
on  the  eastern  coast  of  Cyprus.  Of  their 
work  in  this  place  there  is  no  record  except 
this,  '^They  preached  the  word  of  God  in  the 
sjoiagogues  of  the  Jews." 

10 


PAUL'S  CAMPAIGNS 

The  fact  that  there  was  more  than  one 
synagogue  there  gives  us  to  understand  that 
the  missionaries  had  access  to  many  Jews; 
but  what  are  we  to  infer  from  the  absence 
of  persecution  and  the  narrator's  silence  as 
to  conversions?  Were  their  hearers  in 
Salamis  so  hidebound  in  formal  sacerdotal- 
ism as  to  cavil  at  the  ^^good  news,"  or  so  in- 
different to  the  claims  of  their  own  Messiah 
that  they  wilfully  hid  as  it  were  their  faces 
from  him?  In  any  case  the  missionaries 
left  the  place  conscious  of  having  done  their 
best  and  hopefully  trusting  in  the  promise, 
^^He  that  goeth  forth  and  weepeth,  bearing 
precious  seed,  shall  doubtless  come  again 
with  rejoicing  bringing  his  sheaves  with 
him. ' ' 

AT  PAPHOS 

On  the  other  side  of  the  island,  a  hundred 
miles  away,  was  Paphos,  a  city  of  a  different 
sort.  It  was  important  as  the  residence  of 
Sergius  Paulus,  the  Roman  governor,  who 
is  mentioned  as  a  ^^ prudent  man."  He  had 
in  his  retinue  a  soothsayer  whom  he  was  ac- 
customed to  consult,  particularly  in  matters 

11 


PAUL'S  CAMPAIGNS 

pertaining  to  religion.  But  the  mind  of 
Sergius  was  nevertheless  open  to  conviction; 
so  that  on  hearing  of  the  arrival  of  the  mis- 
sionaries he  invited  them  to  come  and  unfold 
''the  word  of  God."  At  this  point,  how- 
ever, the  soothsayer  interposed  and  would 
have  made  the  gospel  of  none  effect  but  for 
the  vigorous  onset  of  Paul:  ''O  full  of  all 
subtilty  and  all  mischief,  thou  child  of  the 
devil,  thou  enemy  of  all  righteousness,  wilt 
thou  not  cease  to  pervert  the  right  ways  of 
the  Lord!  And  now,  behold,  the  hand  of 
the  Lord  is  upon  thee,  and  thou  shalt  be 
blind,  not  seeing  the  sun  for  a  season." 
Whereupon  there  fell  on  him  a  mist  and  a 
darkness;  so  that  he  must  needs  have  some 
to  lead  him. 

Here  vanishes  Elymas  the  soothsayer. 
Let  us  hope  that  his  temporary  blindness, 
like  that  which  had  previously  befallen  Paul 
himself,  enabled  him  to  see  spiritual  things 
in  the  right  way. 

As  for  the  governor,  he  was  convinced  of 
the  truth  of  the  Gospel  and  ''believed" ;  that 
is,  he  accepted  Christ  with  a  saving  faith. 

The  itinerants  had  no  intention  of  tarry- 

12 


PAUL'S  CAMPAIGNS 

ing  long  in  Paphos  or,  for  that  matter,  any- 
where else.  They  had  delivered  their  mes- 
sage and  could  well  afford  to  leave  the  re- 
sults with  God. 

The  ship  was  ready  to  sail ;  a  south  wind 
was  blowing.  Farewell  to  Cyprus,  and  to 
Sergius  Paulus  rejoicing  in  newness  of  life! 
On  to  the  regions  beyond,  where  other  souls 
were  awaiting  the  good  news  I 


IS 


AT  ANTIOCH  IN  PISIDIA 

ACTS  13 : 13-52 

The  port  of  entry  in  Pamphylia,  where 
the  missionaries  landed,  was  the  ancient  and 
honorable  city  of  Perga.  It  was  now  mid- 
summer, when  most  of  the  people  were  in  the 
cool  shelter  of  the  mountains;  wherefore, 
without  tarrying,  they  resolved  to  push  on. 

At  this  juncture  John  Mark,  the  nephew 
of  Barnabas,  who  had  accompanied  them  as 
courier,  announced  that  he  would  go  no  fur- 
ther. Perhaps  the  perils  of  the  mountains 
frightened  him;  or  possibly  he  was  home- 
sick, longing  for  his  widowed  mother  in 
Jerusalem.  Whatever  the  reason,  he  ^^  de- 
parted and  went  not  with  them  to  the  work." 
This  was  doubtless  a  great  disappointment 
to  his  uncle  Barnabas,  but  even  more  so  to 
Paul  who,  as  we  have  seen,  was  slow  to  for- 
get it.     (Acts  15:  37^0.) 

14 


PAUL'S  CAMPAIGNS 

The  next  objective  point  of  the  itinerary- 
was  Antioch  in  Pisidia,  which  lay  about  a 
hundred  miles  inland  among  the  hills.  It 
would  be  at  least  a  three  days'  journey  for 
these  footmen,  through  an  uninhabited  coun- 
try. We  may  imagine  Paul  and  Barnabas 
holding  converse  along  the  way,  staff  in 
hand,  weary  but  resolute,  kneeling  together 
at  nightfall  and  sleeping  under  the  stars. 

The  Sabbath  after  their  arrival  found 
them  in  the  synagogue.  Their  presence  was 
observed ;  and  after  the  reading  of  the  Scrip- 
ture lesson  the  usual  invitation  was  given, 
^^  Brethren,  if  ye  have  any  word  of  exhorta- 
tion for  the  people,  say  on."  Paul,  on  such 
occasions,  always  did  have  something  to  say. 
The  message  that  trembled  on  his  lips  when- 
ever he  stood  in  the  presence  of  his  fellow- 
Jews  was,  ^^This  Jesus  is  the  Christ."  So 
here;  the  burden  of  his  first  recorded  ser- 
mon is  the  Messiahship  of  Jesus,  whom  they 
had  crucified,  despite  what  was  written, 
^*  Behold,  ye  despisers,  and  wonder  and  per- 
ish: for  I  work  a  work  in  your  days  which 
ye  shall  not  believe  though  a  man  declare 
it  unto  you." 

15 


PAUL'S  CAMPAIGNS 

The  sermon  made  so  deep  an  impression 
that  Paul  was  urged  to  preach  again  on  the 
next  Sabbath ;  but  during  the  week  the  rab- 
bis had  fomented  such  opposition  that,  when 
the  congregation  reassembled,  there  was  a 
concerted  uproar  against  him. 

Then  occurred  one  of  the  most  significant 
and  far-reaching  incidents  of  the  campaign. 
The  missionaries  turned  upon  their  turbu- 
lent Jewish  assailants  with  these  words: 
**It  was  necessary  that  the  word  of  God 
should  first  have  been  spoken  to  you ;  but  see- 
ing ye  put  it  from  you  and  judge  yourselves 
unworthy  of  eternal  life,  lo,  we  turn  to  the 
Gentilesr' 

Thus  was  the  key  turned  to  open  the  gos- 
pel door  to  all  people.  Thenceforth  the 
walls  of  separation  were  broken  down.  The 
Gentiles  were  glad  to  listen,  and  many  of 
them  were  converted  to  Christ:  but  as  for 
the  missionaries,  the  Jews  being  filled  with 
rage  ^^ expelled  them  out  of  their  coasts." 

On  leaving  Antioch  they  ^^  shook  off  the 
dust  of  their  feet,"  to  signify  that,  having 
done  their  utmost,  they  were  free  from  re- 

16 


PAUL'S  CAMPAIGNS 

sponsibility  for  the  welfare  of  those  who 
persistently  refused  the  good  news. 

But  their  work  had  not  been  as  ^^  water 
poured  upon  the  ground,  which  cannot  be 
gathered  up  again";  for  they  left  behind 
them  not  a  few  disciples  ^^ filled  with  joy  and 
with  the  Holy  Ghost."  So  did  these  har- 
vesters pass  on  to  the  regions  beyond,  re- 
joicing that  their  labor  was  not  in  vain  in 
the  Lord. 


17 


VI 

IN  THE  MOUNTAINS  OF  LYCAONIA 

Acts  14 :  1-20 

On  being  driven  out  of  Antioch  in  Pisidia 
the  missionaries  crossed  the  border  and  pur- 
sued their  way  along  the  great  highway  lead- 
ing from  Ephesus  to  the  valley  of  the  Eu- 
phrates. This  was  one  of  the  roads  which 
Caesar  had  constructed  in  pursuance  of  his 
purpose  of  universal  conquest.  Little  did  he 
dream  that  it  was  destined  to  be  used  subse- 
quently for  the  propaganda  of  the  Prince  of 
Peace. 

AT   TCONIUM 

On  this  great  highway,  about  sixt}^  miles 
east  of  Antioch,  lay  the  important  city  of 
Iconium.  For  three  days  at  least  the  mis- 
sionaries trudged  on  afoot  through  a  deso- 
late country,  leaving  no  word  on  record  as  to 
the  indubitable  dangers  that  befell  them 
along  the  way. 

On  reaching  the  city  they  at  once,  accord- 
is 


PAUL'S  CAMPAIGNS 

ing  to  their  custom,  betook  themselves  to  the 
synagogue,  where  '^they  so  spake  that  a  great 
multitude,"  not  only  of  the  Jews  but  of  the 
Hellenists — that  is,  Gentiles  who  had  es- 
poused the  worship  of  Jehovah — were  con- 
verted. In  the  words  ^^they  so  spake"  we 
have  an  intimation  that  Paul  preached  his 
customary  sermon,  ^^  opening  and  alleging 
that  Jesus  is  the  Christ." 

Of  course  there  was  trouble ;  and  as  a  mat- 
ter of  course  the  unbelieving  Jews  began 
and  fostered  it.  Nevertheless  the  mission- 
aries kept  up  their  work  for  "a  long  time," 
probably  for  some  months ;  and  they  might 
have  continued  it  indefinitely  but  for  an  as- 
sault led  by  the  rabbis  of  the  synagogue, 
with  certain  Gentiles  whose  minds  were 
**evil  affected  against  them."  Whereupon 
the  two  yokefellows,  mindful  of  the  Master's 
words,  ^*When  they  persecute  you  in  one 
city  flee  unto  another,"  left  Iconium  and 
plodded  on. 

AT  LYSTRA 

A  journey  of  about  forty  miles  to  the 
southeast,  on  the  same  highway,  brought 

19 


.       PAUL'S  CAMPAIGNS 

them  to  Lystra,  an  out-of-the-way  place  with 
few  attractions  for  visitors.  But  there  were 
souls  there  needing  to  be  brought  out  of 
darkness  into  light. 

The  town  had  no  synagogue.  Just  out- 
side the  gate  was  a  Temple  for  the  worship 
of  Jupiter:  and  thereby  hangs  a  tale.  It 
was  believed  that  Jupiter  with  his  messenger 
Mercury  had  once  visited  Lystra.  The  story 
is  told  by  Ovid  on  this  wise : 

*  *  Here  Jove  with  Hermes  came ;  but  in  disguise 
Of  mortal  men  concealed  their  deities. 
One  laid  aside  his  thunder,  one  his  rod, 
And  many  toilsome  steps  together  trod. 
For  harbor  at  a  thousand  doors  they  knocked ; 
Not  one  of  all  the  thousand  but  was  locked. 
At  last  a  hospitable  house  they  found, 
A  homely  shed ;  the  roof  not  far  from  ground 
Was  thatched  with  reeds  and  straw  together  bound. 
There  Baucis  and  Philemon  lived. 
From  lofty  roofs  the  gods  repulsed  before, 
Now  stooping,  entered  through  the  little  door. 
The  man  (their  hearty  welcome  first  expressed) 
A  common  settle  drew  for  either  guest. ' ' 

The  neighbors  who  had  refused  to  enter- 
tain their  divine  visitors  were  subsequently 
punished  by  a  terrible  flood;  but  Philemon 

20 


PAUL'S  CAMPAIGNS 

and  Baucis  were  rewarded  by  seeing  their 
hut  miraculously  changed  into  a  splendid 
temple,  in  which  they  were  appointed  to 
minister  to  the  gods. 

'*  Their  little  shed,  scarce  large  enough  for  two, 
Seems  from  the  ground  increased,  in  height  and  bulk 

to  grow. 
A  stately  temple  shoots  within  the  skies : 
The  crotchets  of  their  cot  in  columns  rise : 
The  pavement  polished  marble  they  behold; 
The  gates  with  sculpture  graced,  the  spires  and  tiles 

of  gold." 

The  preaching  of  the  missionaries  at  Lys- 
tra  was  in  the  market-places  and  open  courts 
of  the  houses.  One  of  the  far-reaching  con- 
quests here  was  the  conversion  of  a  Jewess 
named  Eunice,  with  her  mother  Lois  and  her 
son  Timothy,  a  youth  who  was  destined  to 
play  an  important  part  as  one  of  Paul's 
most  efficient  helpers  in  after  years. 

The  miraculous  healing  of  a  cripple — who 
had  doubtless  been  brought  into  the  congre- 
gation to  solicit  alms — led  the  people  to  con- 
clude that  the  gods  were  making  them  an- 
other visit.  Barnabas,  the  taller  and  more 
imposing  man,  was  taken  for  Jupiter :  and 

21 


PAUL'S  CAMPAIGNS 

Paul,  eloquent  but  of  ^^mean  presence,"  was 
Mercury,  his  messenger. 

A  rush  was  made  for  the  Temple  outside 
the  gate;  oxen  were  brought  for  sacri- 
fices and  garlands  to  crown  the  celestial  vis- 
itors. Meanwhile  the  preaching  in  the  open 
court  went  on;  until  the  pagan  priest,  ar- 
rayed for  sacrificial  rites,  appeared  in  the 
doorway.  Then,  in  sudden  consternation, 
the  missionaries  dispelled  the  illusion,  cry- 
ing, ' '  Sirs,  why  do  ye  these  things  ?  We  also 
are  men  of  like  passions  with  you,  and 
preach  that  ye  should  turn  from  these  vani- 
ties unto  the  living  Godl''  No  saint-wor- 
ship for  them !     (Rev.  22 :  8,  9.) 

It  is  but  a  short  way  from  garlands  to 
cobble-stones.  No  doubt  some  of  those  who 
had  followed  Christ  on  Palm  Sunday  cry- 
ing, ^^Hosanna  to  the  Son  of  David,"  were 
in  the  mob  that  on  the  next  Friday  shouted, 
^^ Crucify  him!"  So  here;  there  was  a 
speedy  reaction,  due  to  the  influence  of  cer- 
tain ones  who  had  pursued  the  missionaries 
from  Antioch  and  Iconium  to  oppose  them. 
Paul  was  stoned,  dragged  out  of  the  city  and 
left  for  dead.    A  few  faithful  friends— 

22 


PAUL'S  CAMPAIGNS 

Barnabas  with  Lois  and  Eunice  and  young 
Timothy — ministered  to  him. 

But  Paul  was  not  dead.  A  man  is  im- 
mortal till  his  work  is  done.  The  Lord  had 
further  need  of  him.  So  he  arose ;  and  the 
next  morning,  sadly  bruised  but  undaunted 
in  spirit,  he  with  faithful  Barnabas  trudged 
on. 

AT  DERBE 

The  city  of  Derbe  lay  on  the  same  road 
twenty  miles  further  on.  Their  ministry 
here  was  undisturbed.  Probably  their  en- 
emies, ^^ supposing  that  Paul  was  dead,"  con- 
gratulated themselves  that  the  campaign  of 
these  troublers,  who  were  ^^  turning  the 
world  upside  down,"  had  come  to  an  end. 
But  the  work  continued  and  in  Derbe 
'^many  were  taught."  Among  them  was  a 
certain  Gains,  who  would  presently  join  the 
itinerant  group  as  a  faithful  servant  of 
Christ.     (Acts  20:  4.) 


vn 

THE  RETURN 

Acts  14: 21-28 

If  the  mind  of  Paul  had  not  been  so  wholly 
concentrated  on  the  business  in  hand  he 
would  surely  have  turned  aside  on  leaving 
Derbe  to  visit  his  old  home  at  Tarsus,  which 
was  only  a  few  miles  away.  But  the  love  of 
Christ  constrained  both  him  and  Barnabas ; 
and  they  were  much  concerned  for  the  con- 
verts whom  they  had  left  behind  them. 
Who  could  tell  what  persecutions  had  be- 
fallen them,  or  how  many  had  been  allured 
from  the  faith? 

For  this  reason  they  resolved  to  retrace 
their  steps.  Danger  lay  that  way,  but  duty 
also.  Wherefore,  like  their  Master,  they 
*^set  their  faces  steadfastly  to  go."  One 
city  after  another  they  revisited — Lystra, 
Iconium,  Antioch — fearless  amid  the  scenes 
of  former  persecution,  intent  upon  encour- 

24 


PAUL'S  CAMPAIGNS 

aging  their  converts  and  building  the  super- 
structure of  their  character  and  usefulness 
on  the  foundations  of  their  faith. 

In  the  account  of  the  backward  journey 
of  these  missionaries  we  have  a  clear  outline 
of  their  logical  method  of  procedure. 

First,  Evangelization,  This  comes  fore- 
most always  in  ministerial  work:  the  pres- 
entation of  the  gospel  as  the  power  of  God 
unto  salvation.  To  omit  this  is  to  run  with- 
out a  message  and  to  forfeit  the  penny  at 
evening,  ^^Well  done,  good  servant!''  Alas 
for  a  minister  who  does  not  realize  his  high 
privilege  and  responsibility  as  a  winner  of 
souls ! 

Second,  Edification,  or  ^^ building  up"  in 
the  most  holy  faith.  In  the  words  ^^con- 
firming the  souls  of  the  disciples"  there  is 
of  course  no  reference  to  any  formal  cere- 
mony of '  ^  confirmation, ' '  but  to  the  strength- 
ening of  their  belief  in  Christ  and  loyalty  to 
him.  This  is  further  emphasized  by  the  ex- 
hortation ^^to  continue  in  the  faith;  and  that 
we  must  through  much  tribulation  (literally, 
harrowing)  enter  into  the  kingdom  of  God." 

It  is  a  mistake  to  suppose  that  our  full 

25 


PAUL'S  CAMPAIGNS 

salvation  is  accomplislied  when  we  accept 
Christ.  That  does,  indeed,  deliver  us  from 
the  penalty  of  sin;  but  it  is  only  the  begin- 
ning of  that  larger  ^^  salvation  which  is  ready 
to  be  revealed  in  the  last  time."  This  is  the 
salvation  which  we  are  to  ^^work  out  with 
fear  and  trembling, '  ^  to  work  out  into  its  full 
fruition  of  character  and  usefulness.  And 
it  is  the  business  of  every  minister  to  see 
that  Christians  are  thus  confirmed  in  their 
most  holy  faith. 

Third,  Organization,  As  they  revisited 
the  scene  of  their  former  labors  the  mission- 
aries ^^ ordained  elders  in  every  church." 
These  elders  or  ^^ presbyters,"  who  are  else- 
where called  ^^ bishops,"  were  chosen  by  the 
people,  as  indicated  by  the  word  ^^ ordained," 
which  literally  means  ^^  elected  by  a  show  of 
hands."  Thus  the  converts  were  organized 
into  churches — not  only  for  self-government 
but  for  co-operation  in  service — and  ^*  com- 
mended to  the  Lord." 

AT  PERGA 

This  done,  Paul  and  Barnabas  pushed  on 
to  Perga,  the  seaport  where  they  had  done 

26 


PAUL'S  CAMPAIGNS 

nothing  on  their  previous  visit.  As  the 
summer  was  nov^  over  and  the  people  had  re- 
turned to  their  homes,  the  missionaries  tar- 
ried and  ^^ preached  the  word." 

Then — probably  because  there  was  no  ves- 
sel in  port — they  went  on  to  the  neighboring 
town  of  Attalia,  where  they  took  ship ;  and 
so  back  to  Antioch  in  Syria. 

AT  ANTIOCH   IN   SYRIA 

The  Church  assembled  to  hear  their  report 
of  *^all  that  God  had  done  with  them"  dur- 
ing the  two  or  three  years  of  their  absence ; 
and  there  was  great  rejoicing  as  Paul  and 
Barnabas  rehearsed  how  God  had  ^^  opened 
the  door  of  faith  unto  the  Gentiles." 

So  ended  the  first  of  the  great  Missionary 
Journeys.  ^'A  long  time"  elapsed  before 
another  was  undertaken ;  but  a  zealous  spirit 
like  Paul's  cannot  be  confined  in  any  ^^ pent- 
up  Utica. ' '  We  shall  presently  see  him  ven- 
turing forth  upon  an  enterprise  still  more 
boldly  planned  to  carry  the  gospel  to  the  ut- 
termost parts  of  the  earth. 


27 


A  PARENTHESIS 

Acts  15 :  1-35 

[Not  long  after  the  return  of  Paul  and 
Barnabas  from  their  first  missionary  tour  a 
serious  trouble  developed  in  the  church  at 
Antioch.  It  was  fomented  by  certain  con- 
verts who,  like  Paul  himself,  had  previously 
belonged  to  ^Hhe  most  straitest  sect"  of 
Jewry,  but,  unlike  him,  had  not  fully  entered 
into  *^the  glorious  liberty  of  the  children  of 
God." 

The  contention  was  that  Gentile  converts 
should  enter  the  Christian  Church  by  the 
Jewish  door ;  that  is,  they  must  submit  them- 
selves to  the  ceremonial  law.  Now  the  cere- 
monial law,  which  was  typical  and  prophet- 
ical of  Christ,  had  been  fulfilled  at  his  com- 
ing, and  therefore  had  passed  away,  as  mists 
vanish  at  the  rising  of  the  sun.  So  it  is 
written,  ^^He  blotted  out  the  handwriting  of 

28 


PAUL'S  CAMPAIGNS 

ordinances  that  was  against  us,  and  took  it 
out  of  the  way,  nailing  it  to  his  cross." 
(Col.  2:14.)  The  Gentile  Christians  main- 
tained that  salvation  was  conditioned  sim- 
ply and  solely  on  personal  faith  in  Christ; 
but  these  high-churchmen  insisted  that  un- 
less they  would  comply  with  the  Jewish  re- 
quirements ^^they  could  not  be  saved." 

The  two  positions  were  irreconcilable. 
The  breach  widened  accordingly,  and  the 
trouble  spread  rapidly  among  the  churches. 
Something  must  be  done  and  done  quickly. 
A  deputation,  including  Paul  and  Barnabas, 
was  chosen  to  go  up  to  the  mother  church  at 
Jerusalem  and  confer  with  the  apostles  and 
elders  about  it. 

THE   COUNCIL  AT   JERUSALEM 

The  distance  from  Antioch  to  Jerusalem 
was  about  three  hundred  miles:  more  than 
five  times  what  it  would  be  by  the  travelling 
facilities  of  our  time.  On  their  journey  the 
delegates  conferred  with  churches  along  the 
way  and  were  doubtless  joined  by  other  com- 
missioners. When  they  reached  Jerusalem 
an  informal  conference  was  first  held  with 

29 


PAUL'S  CAMPAIGNS 

the  apostles  and  elders,  after  whicli  the 
Council  was  convened,  with  James,  the  pas- 
tor of  the  mother  church,  in  the  chair. 

This  was  the  first,  and  in  many  respects 
the  most  significant,  of  a  series  of  CEcumen- 
ical  Councils  held  at  intervals,  as  occasion 
seemed  to  require,  down  to  the  time  of  the 
Eeformation.  The  next  of  importance  was 
the  Council  of  Mcaea,  a.  d.  325,  in  which  the 
question  of  the  Trinity  was  discussed — for 
the  most  part  by  men  who  had  suffered  for 
the  truth's  sake  in  recent  persecutions — and 
was  determined  for  all  time.  Its  monument 
is  the  Mcene  Creed.  But  the  question  be- 
fore this  Council  at  Jerusalem  was  one  of 
most  immediate  importance,  because,  until 
it  was  settled,  the  Gentiles  were  kept  wait- 
ing at  the  doorway  of  the  Church. 

The  first  address  was  made  by  Peter. 
We  have  of  course  the  merest  outline;  but 
sufficient  is  given  to  indicate  its  bold  and  im- 
passioned character.  He  began  by  remind- 
ing the  Council  how  the  Lord  had  chosen 
him  "si  good  while  ago"  to  open  the  door  to 
the  Gentiles.  The  reference  was  to  the  day 
of  Pentecost,  fourteen  years  before,  when  he 

30 


PAUL'S  CAMPAIGNS 

had  turned  the  key — the  key  which  Christ 
had  previously  committed  to  him  for  that 
purpose  (Matt.  16 :  19)  —saying,  ' '  The 
promise  is  unto  you  and  to  your  children 
and  to  all  that  are  afar  off."  (Acts  2: 14- 
39.)  He  then  begged  the  Council  not  to  put 
a  ceremonial  yoke  upon  the  necks  of  the 
converts  which  neither  their  fathers  nor 
themselves  had  been  able  to  bear;  and  con- 
cluded with  a  ringing  statement  that  the 
only  condition  of  salvation  for  all  alike  is 
vital  faith  in  Christ. 

Paul  and  Barnabas  followed  with  an  ac- 
count of  their  missionary  journey  and  the 
many  conversions  which  had  occurred  along 
the  way.  This  carried  its  own  appeal  with 
it. 

Then  arose  James,  the  minister  of  the 
mother  church.  He  would  naturally  be  dis- 
posed to  favor  the  Jews,  but  his  address  was 
in  the  interest  of  peace  by  mutual  conces- 
sion. He  began  by  supporting  Peter's 
position  as  to  the  open  door,  and  showed 
how  the  prophets  had  foretold  it.  He  then, 
as  the  Moderator  of  the  Council,  pronounced 
his   ^^ sentence"   or   conclusion.    This   was 

31 


PAUL'S  CAMPAIGNS 

drawn  up  in  the  form  of  a  letter  to  be  sent  to 
all  the  churches,  as  follows : 

The  apostles  and  elders  and  hretJiren  send 
greeting  unto  the  brethren  which  are  of  the 
Gentiles  in  Antioch  and  Syria  and  Cilicia, 
Forasmuch  as  we  have  heard  that  certain 
which  went  out  from  us  have  troubled  you 
with  words,  subverting  your  souls,  saying, 
Ye  must  be  circumcised,  and  keep  the  law; 
to  whom  we  gave  no  such  commandment:  it 
seemed  good  unto  us,  being  assembled  with 
one  accord,  to  send  chosen  men  unto  you  with 
our  beloved  Barnahas  and  Paid,  men  that 
have  hazarded  their  lives  for  the  name  of  our 
Lord  Jesus  Christ,  We  have  sent  therefore 
Judas  and  Silas,  who  shall  also  tell  you  the 
same  things  by  mouth.  For  it  seemed  good 
to  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  to  us,  to  lay  upon  you 
no  greater  burden  than  these  necessary 
things;  that  ye  abstain  from  meats  offered 
to  idols,  and  from^  blood,  and  from  things 
strangled:  and  from  fornication:  from 
which  if  ye  keep  yourselves,  ye  shall  do  well. 
Fare  ye  well. 


32 


PAUL'S  CAMPAIGNS 

In  this  letter  we  observe,  -first,  a  principle 
laid  dotvn :  to  wit,  the  great  doctrine  of  Justi- 
fication by  Faith;  and  second,  a  policy 
marked  out,  namely,  that,  so  far  as  conces- 
sions could  be  made  without  any  sacrifice  of 
principle,  they  should  be  made  by  both  sides. 
On  the  one  hand,  the  Jews  were  to  give  up 
their  insistence  on  the  ceremonial  law;  on 
the  other,  the  Gentiles  were  to  refrain  from 
certain  practices  which  gave  offence:  (1) 
from  blood — which  the  Jews  avoid  to  this 
day;  (2)  from  things  strangled — because  the 
blood  remains  in  them;  (3)  from  meats  laid 
on  pagan  altars  and  subsequently  offered  for 
sale  in  the  shambles — because  this  seemed 
to  imply  complicity  with  idol- worship ;  and 
(4)  from  the  sensual  habits  which  were 
prevalent  among  all  pagan  nations  and  to 
which  the  Gentile  converts  were  especially 
prone.  These  mutual  concessions  were  so 
obviously  reasonable  that  the  trouble  ended 
then  and  there. 

THE  RETUKN 

On  the  return  of  the  missionaries  to  Anti- 
och  a  meeting  was  held  at  which  the  letter 

33 


PAUL'S  CAMPAIGNS 

was  read  and  all  ^^ rejoiced  for  the  consola- 
tion." One  thing  had  been  settled,  that  no 
priest  or  ecclesiastical  court  was  to  be  al- 
lowed to  stand  in  the  way  of  any  sinner  in 
his  approach  to  Christ. 

Settled'?  Yes,  so  far  as  a  Council  could 
settle  it.  But  the  Cross  is  always  an  offence, 
and  free  grace  has  never  ceased  to  be  a 
stumbling-block  to  the  natural  man. 

As  time  passed  the  Church  drifted  away 
from  its  moorings  until,  in  the  Dark  Ages, 
it  was  again  swamped  in  the  stagnant  waters 
of  priestly  ceremonialism.  Then  came  Lu- 
ther and  the  other  reformers  with  a  new 
proclamation  of  the  old  truth  of  Justifica- 
tion by  Faith.  They  called  it  articulum 
ecclesice  stantis  aut  cadentis,  that  is,  '^the 
Doctrine  of  a  Standing  or  a  Falling 
Church."  And  so  it  is  and  must  continue 
to  be.  Moses  and  Elias  go  their  way,  and 
none  is  left  but  ''Jesus  only."  In  Him 
alone  we  put  our  trust ; ' '  Him  first.  Him  last, 
Him  midst  and  all  in  all."] 


34 


VIII 
THE  SECOND  JOURNEY 

Acts  15: 36-41;  16: 1-10 

It  would  appear  that  Paul  and  Barnabas, 
on  returning  from  their  first  missionary 
tour,  spent  about  two  years  in  Antioch,  not 
only  in  much-needed  rest  but  in  ^'teaching 
and  preaching"  for  the  confirmation  of  their 
brethren  in  the  faith.  It  was  during  this 
period  that  the  First  Council  was  held  at 
Jerusalem,  as  we  have  seen. 

Another  incident  which  subsequently  oc- 
curred during  the  same  period  calls  for  brief 
mention:  Peter  came  to  Antioch  and 
stirred  up  trouble.  The  controversy  which 
attended  his  visit  is  briefly  recorded  in  Gal. 
2:11-14: 

^^But  when  Peter  was  come  to  Antioch  I 
withstood  him  to  the  face,  because  he  ivas  to 
ie  blamed.    For  before  that  certain  came 

35 


PAUL'S  CAMPAIGNS 

from  James,  he  did  eat  with  the  Gentiles: 
iut  when  they  were  come,  he  withdrew  and 
separated  himself,  fearing  them  which  were 
of  the  circumcision.  And  the  other  Jews 
dissemhled  likewise  with  him;  insomuch 
that  Barnahas  also  was  carried  away  with 
their  dissimidation.  But  when  I  saw  that 
they  walked  not  uprightly  according  to  the 
truth  of  the  gospel,  I  said  unto  Peter  before 
them  all,  ^'If  thou,  being  a  Jew,  livest  after 
the  manner  of  Gentiles,  and  not  as  do  the 
Jews,  why  compellest  thou  the  Gentiles  to 
live  as  do  the  JewsV 

The  dispute  was  amicably  settled,  how- 
ever, in  accordance  with  the  decree  of  the 
Council  in  Jerusalem.   (See  Acts  15 :  22-29.) 

In  the  meantime  the  wanderlust  of  the 
gospel  had  returned  to  the  missionaries  and 
the  word  of  the  Master,  '^Go  ye!"  was  ring- 
ing in  their  ears.  It  was  only  a  few  days 
after  the  adjustment  of  the  dispute  referred 
to  that  Paul  said  to  Barnabas,  '*Let  us  go 
again  and  visit  our  brethren  in  every  city 
where  we  have  preached  the  word  of  the 
Lord  and  see  how  they  do." 

36 


PAUL'S  CAMPAIGNS 

But  a  serious  difference  arose  between  the 
two  missionaries  then  and  there.  Barna- 
bas was  resolved  on  having  his  nephew,  John 
Mark,  accompany  them;  while  Paul  was 
equally  determined  that  the  youth  whose 
courage  had  failed  him  in  the  face  of  dan- 
ger at  Pamphylia  should  not  go.  ^' And  the 
contention  was  so  sharp  between  them  that 
they  departed  asunder. ' '  Barnabas  took  his 
nephew  and  sailed  for  Cyprus,  while  Paul 
set  out  in  the  opposite  direction,  both  intent 
upon  a  recanvass  of  their  former  work. 

The  new  companion  of  Paul  was  Silas, 
who  had  been  one  of  the  deputies  appointed 
by  the  Council  to  convey  its  decrees  to  the 
churches.  He  is  characterized  as  ^^a  faith- 
ful brother,"  and  was  one  of  the  hopeful 
guild  of  Singers  in  the  Night.  (Acts 
16:25.) 

They  set  out  toward  the  northwest,  '^con- 
firming the  churches"  by  the  way,  until  they 
reached  Derbe,  where  the  previous  journey 
had  ended.  From  there  they  passed  on  to 
Lystra,  where  they  were  joined  by  Timothy, 
^*the  gentle  boy  of  Lystra,"  who  was  destined 
to  play  an  important  part  in  subsequent 

37 


PAUL'S  CAMPAIGNS 

events.  Thence  to  Iconium;  after  which 
they  would  have  turned  aside  into  ^^Asia," 
a  region  of  pagan  darkness  on  the  southwest ; 
^^but  they  were  forbidden."  To  the  north- 
west lay  Bithynia,  another  pagan  country 
where  they  longed  to  preach  the  gospel,  ^^but 
the  Spirit  suffered  them  not."  Strange 
guidance  this !  For  some  reason  they  must 
turn  neither  to  the  right  nor  to  the  left  but 
bear  straight  on. 

AT  TROAS 

So  they  came  to  Troas  on  the  verge  of  the 
Hellespont;  and  there  the  reason  of  their 
strange  guidance  was  made  plain.  In  a 
vision  Paul  saw  a  man  of  Macedonia,  with 
outstretched  hands,  calling,  ^^Come  over  and 
help  us!"  It  thus  appeared  that  the  mis- 
sionaries were  to  plume  their  wings  for  a 
bolder  flight.  Europe  was  before  them! 
When  once  the  Hellespont  was  crossed  they 
would  be  in  ^^the  regions  beyond,"  and  a  new 
impulse  would  be  given  to  the  enterprise 
of  universal  conquest.  Now  then,  the  world 
for  Christ! 


IX 

ON  TO  EUROPE 

ACTS  16:11-40 

It  is  safe  to  say  that,  on  the  morning  after 
his  vision,  Paul  was  early  at  the  docks  in 
Troas  inquiring  for  the  first  ship  sailing 
across  the  Hellespont.  There  were  four  who 
took  passage;  Paul,  Silas,  Timothy  and 
Luke,  *^the  good  physician."  We  know 
that  Luke  here  joined  the  company  because 
the  narrative,  of  which  he  was  the  writer, 
now  moves  on  with  the  pronoun  ^^we." 
(Acts  16: 11.) 

It  is  worthy  of  note,  in  passing,  that  the 
heroes  of  the  two  great  classics  of  Rome 
and  Greece — the  ^neid  of  Virgil  and  the 
Odyssey  of  Homer — had  both  embarked 
from  the  port  of  Troas ;  but  the  momentous 
voyages  of  ^neas  and  Ulysses  were  not 
worthy  of  comparison  with  the  great  enter- 
prise which  stirred  the  hearts  of  these  ad- 
venturous men. 

39 


PAUL'S  CAMPAIGNS 
AT  PHILIPPI 

On  landing  at  Neapolis  they  pushed  their 
way  up  through  the  mountain  roads  to  the 
important  city  of  Philippi,  where  Paul 
hoped  to  meet  the  Macedonian  who  had 
beckoned  and  called  him.  In  their  sojourn 
here  they  won  three  trophies  of  grace. 

The  first  was  Lydia,  ''a  seller  of  purple." 
Her  name  indicates  that  she  had  come  from 
a  city  in  that  same  province  of  Pamphylia 
whither  the  Spirit  had  forbidden  them  to 
go.  Thus,  by  indirection,  the  missionaries 
were  likely  to  reach  the  object  in  mind. 
They  met  this  woman,  on  the  first  Sabbath 
after  their  arrival,  at  a  place  set  apart  for 
prayer  by  the  river-side.  On  hearing  the 
gospel  her  heart  was  immediately  opened  to 
receive  it.  No  doubt  Paul  was  surprised  to 
find  that  ^^the  man"  of  his  vision  was  a 
woman ;  but  she  was  a  woman  of  wealth  and 
influence  whose  candle  was  lighted  to  shine 
afar.  The  missionaries  had  thus  far  been 
satisfied  with  humble  quarters  in  some  lodg- 
ing house ;  but  Lydia  now,  with  Oriental  hos- 
pitality, threw  open  her  home — as  she  had 

40 


PAUL'S  CAMPAIGNS 

opened  her  heart — and  entertained  them 
during  their  sojourn  in  the  city. 

The  second  trophy  of  the  campaign  in 
Philippi  was  a  slave-girl,  possessed  of  an 
evil  spirit.  Her  owners  had  made  capital 
of  her  malady  by  passing  her  off  as  a 
pythoness,  whose  incoherent  utterances  were 
represented  to  be  the  divinations  of  Apollo. 
Day  after  day  as  the  missionaries  proceeded 
to  their  work  the  slave  girl  cried  after  them, 
^^  These  men  are  the  servants  of  the  most 
high  God,  which  show  unto  us  the  way  of 
salvation!"  Little  wonder  that  Paul  was 
*^ grieved"  on  her  account;  and  little  wonder 
that  he  healed  her!  But  this  miracle  was 
the  occasion  of  no  end  of  trouble.  The  mas- 
ters of  the  pythoness,  seeing  that  ^^the  hope 
of  their  gains  was  gone,"  succeeded  in  col- 
lecting a  mob;  and  presently,  after  one  of 
those  scourgings  with  which  Paul  was  so  fa- 
miliar (^'five  times  was  I  beaten  with  forty 
stripes  save  one"),  he  and  Silas  found  them- 
selves in  jail. 

The  third  trophy  of  their  evangelistic 
ardor  was  their  jailer.  The  two  mission- 
aries, cast  down  but  not  destroyed,  whiled 

41 


PAUL'S  CAMPAIGNS 

away  the  dreary  hours  of  the  night  by  sing- 
ing, probably  one  of  the  Hillel  Psalms  with 
the  refrain,  ^^Oh  that  men  would  praise  the 
Lord  for  his  goodness  and  for  his  wonderful 
works  to  the  children  of  men ! ' '  Then  on  a 
sudden  the  earth  began  to  tremble  and  the 
prisoners'  chains  were  loosed! 

The  jailer  awoke,  and  supposing  that  his 
wards — for  whose  safeguarding  he  was  re- 
sponsible with  his  life — ^had  escaped,  would 
have  killed  himself;  just  as  nowadays  a  Jap- 
anese jailer  would  commit  hari-kari  under 
like  circumstances.  But  Paul  cried,  ^^Do 
thyself  no  harm!  We  are  all  here!" 
Whereupon  the  man,  who  had  probably 
heard  Paul's  message,  cried  out  under  sud- 
den conviction,  '^Sirs,  what  must  I  do  to  be 
saved  1"  There  could  be  only  one  answer: 
^'Believe  on  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ!"  That 
done,  the  rest  would  be  plain  sailing.  The 
jailer  fell  in  with  the  overtures  of  divine 
mercy  and  became  a  Christian. 

Here  were  three  wonderful  trophies  to 
show  for  the  campaign  at  Philippi.  And 
who  shall  say  how  many  were  saved  through 
them? 

42 


PAUL'S  CAMPAIGNS 

We  now  observe  Paul  in  a  different  light. 
Thus  far  he  had  pursued  his  work  as  a  most 
humble  man.  But  when  the  magistrates, 
on  learning  that  Paul  was  a  Eoman  citizen 
and  had  been  scourged  without  due  process 
of  law,  sent  messengers  to  say,  ^^Let  those 
men  go,"  those  men  refused  to  go.  ^^Nay, 
verily,"  said  Paul.  ^^They  have  beaten  us 
openly,  uncondemned,  being  Romans,  and 
have  cast  us  into  prison;  and  now  do  they 
thrust  us  out  privily  ?  Nay,  verily ;  but  let 
them  come  themselves  and  fetch  us  out!" 
Thus  he  stood  squarely  upon  his  rights. 
But  when  anything  was  to  be  gained  by  do- 
ing so,  we  shall  find  that  he  and  his  com- 
panions were  ever  willing  to  lay  down  all 
their  rights  that  men  might  walk  over  them 
into  the  kingdom  of  God. 


43 


AT  THESSALONICA 

ACTS  17:1-9 

On  being  driven  out  of  Philippi  the  band 
of  missionaries  turned  tlieir  faces  toward 
the  west.  ^'Westward  the  course  of  Empire 
takes  its  way."  A  journey  of  seventy  miles 
— passing  through  the  unimportant  towns 
of  Amphipolis  and  Appolonia — brought 
them  to  Thessalonica ;  and  there,  in  the  hos- 
pitable home  of  Jason,  they  tarried  for  sev- 
eral months. 

Why  were  they  attracted  to  Thessalonica  ? 
First f  because  it  was  a  populous  place  and  in 
many  respects  the  most  important  city  in 
that  portion  of  the  world.  Second,  because 
there  was  a  considerable  number  of  Jews 
there,  whose  religion  furnished  a  foundation 
for  the  preaching  of  the  Messianic  claims 
of  Jesus.  Third,  because  it  was  the  center 
of  the  weaving  industry;  where  Paul  the 

44 


PAUL'S  CAMPAIGNS 

tent-maker  would  be  likely  to  find  work. 
(1  Thess.  2:9.)  Fourth,  because  it  was  a 
coign  of  vantage  for  an  enterprise  that  was 
intended  and  expected  to  radiate  far  and 
wide. 

To-day  Salonica  is  the  second  city  of  Tur- 
key in  Europe.  In  the  World's  War  the 
troops  of  the  Entente  Alliance  were  landed 
there  to  advance  upon  the  enemy  on  the  east- 
ern front. 

On  three  successive  Sabbaths  the  mission- 
aries preached  in  the  synagogue/  reasoning 
from  the  Scriptures  that  ''this  Jesus  is  the 
Christ,"  and  with  the  usual  result.  Many 
of  the  Hellenes,  i.  e.,  Judaized  pagans,  were 
converted;  but  the  Jews  themselves  were 
''slow  of  heart  to  believe  all  that  the 
prophets  had  spoken."  Then,  as  their  cus- 
tom was,  the  missionaries  left  the  synagogue 
and  turned  to  the  Gentiles,  enough  of  whom 
were  converted  to  form  the  nucleus  of  an 
important  church. 

It  was  too  much  to  expect,  however,  that 
they  would  be  allowed  to  continue  in  this 

1  There   are   thirty-six    synagogues   in   the   modern   city    of 
Salonica. 

45 


PAUL'S  CAMPAIGNS 

way.  The  Jews  succeeded  in  persuading 
certain  ^4ewd  fellows  of  the  baser  sort" — 
the  lazsaroni  or  ^ idlers  of  the  forum'' — to 
drive  them  out.  A  mob  stormed  the  house 
of  Jason,  and,  not  finding  the  missionaries, 
carried  him  and  his  associates  before  the 
magistrates,  who,  perceiving  no  ground  of 
action,  bound  them  over  to  keep  the  peace 
and  let  them  go. 

All  of  which  suggests  a  number  of  things. 

First,  the  gospel  never  changes.  A  con- 
verted Jew  in  charge  of  a  mission  among 
his  countrymen  tells  me  that  his  work  is  pre- 
cisely along  the  lines  marked  out  by  Paul, 
^^  opening  and  alleging  from  the  Scriptures 
that  this  Jesus  is  the  Christ." 

Second,  the  opposition  never  changes. 
The  Christians  of  Armenia  are  persecuted 
and  massacred  by  the  Turks  on  the  pretext 
that  they  are  turning  things  ^^ upside  down" 
by  their  insistence  on  the  supremacy  of 
Christ. 

Third,  the  assurance  of  success  never 
changes.  Paul  and  his  companions  may 
have  counted  their  labor  as  water  poured 
upon  the  ground;  but  ten  years  later,  in  a 

46 


PAUL'S  CAMPAIGNS 

letter  written  to  the  church  in  Thessalonica, 
he  says,  '^From  you  sounded  out  the  word 
of  the  Lord,  not  only  in  Macedonia  and 
Achaia;  but  also  in  every  place  your  faith 
to  Godward  is  spread  abroad."  The  faith 
to  Godward  of  these  Christians  was  no  light 
hid  under  a  bushel:  it  ^^ sounded  forth"  like 
the  blast  of  a  trumpet  before  the  chariot  of 
an  advancing  king;  it  ^^went  forth"  like  the 
shout  of  an  army  following  after  him. 

Let  all  the  Lord's  workers  be  of  good 
cheer;  the  seed-sowing  is  never  in  vain, 
though  oftentimes  the  harvest  ripens  on 
their  graves.  The  promise  is  yea  and  amen : 
^^He  that  goeth  forth  and  weepeth,  bearing 
precious  seed,  shall  doubtless"  (not  may  but 
shall;  not  perhaps  but  doubtless)  ^^come 
again  with  rejoicing,  bringing  his  sheaves 
with  him." 


47 


XI 
AT  BEROEA 

Acts  17: 10-14 

On  leaving  Thessalonica,  under  cover  of 
the  night,  Paul  turned  his  face  toward  the 
southwest;  and  after  a  journey  of  sixty- 
miles  came  to  Beroea.  This  was  a  city  of  no 
special  importance  except  for  the  fact  that 
it  lay  on  a  slope  of  the  Olympian  range  and 
was  supposed  to  be  under  the  special  care 
of  the  twelve  gods. 

The  Jews  of  Beroea  are  characterized  as 
*^more  noble  than  those  of  Thessalonica"  be- 
cause '^thej  received  the  word  with  readi- 
ness of  mind."  This  is  a  Title  of  Nobility 
which  is  open  to  all.  '^A  king  can  mak'  a 
belted  knight,  a  marquis,  duke  an'  a'  that"; 
but  only  God  can  admit  a  man  into  the  Peer- 
age of  Truth. 

(1)  It  is  said  of  these  Beroeans,  to  their 
credit,  that  ^'they  searched  the  Scriptures 
daily,  whether  those  things  were  so/^ 

48 


PAUL'S  CAMPAIGNS 

By  this  we  are  given  to  understand,  on  tlie 
one  hand,  that  they  believed  in  the  Scrip- 
tures as  the  infallible  test  and  standard  of 
truth.  As  to  their  inspiration,  this  was  not 
an  open  but  a  closed  question,  having  been 
settled  by  and  for  these  converts  when  they 
entered  into  covenant  with  God. 

The  reason  why  many  of  the  church  mem- 
bers of  our  time  are  oppressed  with  doubts 
as  to  the  fundamentals  of  the  gospel  is  be- 
cause they  are  not  fully  persuaded  in  their 
own  minds  that  the  Bible  can  be  trusted ;  a 
point  which  should  have  been  determined 
at  the  very  outset  of  their  Christian  life. 

On  the  other  hand,  it  appears  that  when 
Paul  presented  some  unusually  startling 
propositions,  they  did  not  take  him  at  his 
word,  but  ^^ searched  the  Scriptures"  to  see 
whether  these  things  were  so. 

What  a  lot  of  perplexity  would  be  avoided 
if  the  Christians  of  our  time  were  to  treat 
current  problems  in  the  same  way.  The 
trouble  is  that,  in  many  cases,  the  original 
question  as  to  the  trustworthiness  of  Scrip- 
ture is  still  undetermined,  so  that  they  have 
nothing  to  go  by.     Instead  of  applying  the 

49 


PAUL'S  CAMPAIGNS 

divine  touchstone  to  their  doubts,  they  must 
needs  be  forever  investigating  the  reliability 
of  the  touchstone  itself. 

In  many  of  our  so-called  ^^ Bible  classes" 
the  pupils  are  instructed  about  the  Bible  and 
not  in  it.  They  are  like  prospectors  who 
go  about  searching  for  a  gold-field,  rather 
than  like  miners  who,  having  found  a  gold- 
field,  are  engaged  in  getting  the  gold  out 
of  it. 

(2)  We  are  advised,  from  the  example  of 
the  Beroeans,  as  to  the  right  method  of 
searching  the  Scriptures, 

There  are  some  who  read  the  Bible  for  no 
other  purpose,  apparently,  than  to  criticise 
it.  This  is  the  case  with  many  who  call 
themselves  ^^ Biblical  experts";  they  ap- 
proach the  Book  with  an  ill-disguised  preju- 
dice against  it.  Of  course,  under  such  cir- 
cumstances, they  find  errors  and  discrepan- 
cies where  none  are  visible  to  unbiased  eyes. 

There  are  others  who  study  the  Bible  to 
confirm  their  own  opinions.  These  are 
eisegetes,  reading  their  own  views  into  the 
Book  instead  of  getting  their  doctrine  out 
of  it,  as  devout  exegetes  are  wont  to  do. 

50 


PAUL'S  CAMPAIGNS 

Others  still  are  moved  to  search  the  Scrip- 
tures by  a  sincere  desire  to  discover  the 
truth.  In  order  to  succeed  in  this  quarter 
there  must  be,  iirst,  a  readiness  to  learn  what 
God  has  to  say  about  the  matter  in  hand, 
and,  second,  a  personal  independence  which 
takes  no  man's  word  for  it.  The  Beroeans 
were  to  be  praised  for  declining  to  accept 
Paul's  statements  on  his  own  recognizance 
until  they  had  applied  the  touchstone.  No 
man's  ipse  dixit  is  final,  whether  in  the  pul- 
pit or  out  of  it.  Nothing  is  conclusive  but 
the  Word  of  God. 

(3)  What  was  the  result?  The  Beroeans 
came  to  the  conclusion  that  Paul's  postulate, 
^^This  Jesus  is  the  Christ,"  was  true  to  their 
Oracles ;  and  therefore  they  accepted  it. 

Thus  they  found  Christ,  as  it  is  written, 
^^ Therefore  many  of  them  believed."  And, 
finding  Christ,  they  found  life  also;  as  he 
himself  had  said,  ^^ Search  the  Scriptures; 
for  in  them  ye  think  (and  rightly  think) 
ye  have  eternal  life;  and  these  are  they 
which  testify  of  me." 

Here  we  leave  the  Beroeans.  The  preach- 
ing of  Paul  might  have  gone  on  indefinitely 

51 


PAULAS  CAMPAIGNS 

but  for  mischief-makers  who  came  over  from 
Thessalonica  and  created  a  disturbance. 
With  a  due  regard  for  discretion  as  the  bet- 
ter part  of  valor,  he  took  his  departure  to 
larger  fields.  The  pagan  world  was  before 
him — Athens,  Corinth  and  the  regions  be- 
yond! Still  ^*  Westward  the  course  of  Em- 
pire takes  its  way." 


m 


XII 

AT  ATHENS 

ACTS  17 : 15-34 

On  being  expelled  from  Beroea  the  apostle 
went  down  to  the  nearest  seaport  and  took 
ship  for  Athens.  A  three  days'  voyage  car- 
ried him  past  some  of  the  most  memorable 
scenes  in  history,  such  as  Thermopylae,  where 
Leonidas  and  his  three  hundred  died  for 
freedom,  and  Marathon,  where  Themistocles 
drove  back  the  Persian  invasion.  But 
Paul's  interest  lay  further  on. 

Landing  at  Piraeus,  he  at  once  proceeded 
to  Athens,  ^^the  eye  of  Greece,  mother  of 
arts  and  eloquence." 

Standing  alone  in  the  market-place  he  saw 
a  city  '^wholly  given  to  idolatry."  There 
were  statues  of  the  gods  on  every  hand; 
colonnades  of  gods;  *^more  gods  than  men." 
On  looking  down  the  street  of  Hermes  he 
saw  a  winged  figure  of  the  Olympian  herald 

53 


PAUL'S  CAMPAIGNS 

in  front  of  every  home ;  if  tie  looked  along 
the  Avenue  of  Tripods,  he  would  see  an  un- 
broken line  of  altars  and  statues,  with  votive 
offerings  presented  by  grateful  athletes 
whom  the  gods  had  helped  in  the  Isthmian 
games.  Gods  everywhere!  Gods  on  ped- 
estals, in  niches,  on  the  corners  of  the 
streets;  gods  and  demigods;  good,  bad  and 
indifferent — a  wilderness  of  gods !  No  won- 
der the  devout  soul  of  the  missionary  was 
stirred  within  him. 

He  began  his  work  at  once,  ^  disputing  in 
the  synagogue  with  the  Jews,  and  in  the 
Agora  daily  with  them  that  met  with  him." 
There  was  no  difficulty  in  getting  an  audi- 
ence ;  for  Athens  was  proverbially  the  para- 
dise of  gossips  and  saunterers.  Its  shib- 
boleth was,  '^What's  the  news^"  So  they 
gathered  about  him,  men  and  women,  priests 
and  philosophers,  all  sorts  and  conditions  of 
people.  And  he  spoke  to  them  of  Jesus  and 
the  Resurrection,  or  as  the  Greeks  had  it, 
'^  Jesus  and  Anastasis,"  whom  they  sup- 
posed to  be  a  pair  of  new  deities.  He  who 
introduced  a  god  into  Athens  was  counted  a 
public  benefactor.     The  interest  of  his  audi- 

64 


PAUL'S  CAMPAIGNS 

ence  was  thus  enlisted  at  once.  Presently 
they  said,  ^^Let  us  go  to  Areopagus  for  a  bet- 
ter hearing."  So  to  the  Hill  of  Mars  they 
went ;  and  the  apostle  there  preached  a  ser- 
mon which  has  come  ringing  down  the  ages. 

OBSEEVE   THE   PREACHER 

A  little  man,  stoop-shouldered,  weak-eyed 
and  a  stammerer;  but  it  did  not  take  the 
Athenians  long  to  discover  that  here  was  no 
ordinary  man. 

OBSERVE   THE  PULPIT 

A  fateful  place.  Many  a  culprit  had  been 
there  devoted  to  death.  On  this  platform 
Demosthenes  had  stood  and  uttered  ^^breath- 
ing thoughts  in  burning  words. "  Here  Soc- 
rates had  made  his  apology  and  was  con- 
demned to  drink  the  fatal  hemlock.  On  a 
shelf  of  rock  near  by  stood  the  Temple  of 
the  Furies ;  and  above  it  towered  the  Temple 
of  Mars.  To  this  place  Paul  brought  such 
**news"  as  these  newsmongers  had  never 
heard  before.  He  spoke  as  an  ambassador 
from  the  court  of  heaven,  bringing  a  mes- 
sage of  peace  to  troubled  souls. 

55 


PAUL'S  CAMPAIGNS 
OBSEKVE   THE   AUDIENCE 

Not  a  few  of  Paul's  hearers  had  the  names 
of  their  deities  worn  as  frontlets  between 
their  eyes.  Here  were  philosophers  also  and 
students  in  classic  robes,  representing  all  the 
various  schools  by  the  Ilissus.  Some  were 
Stoics ;  i.  e.,  pantheists,  who  spoke  of  God  as 
*Hhe  universal  soul,"  and  of  man  as  an  ex- 
halation whose  destiny  was  to  be  absorbed 
presently  in  the  all-pervading  Spirit  of  the 
Universe,  as  a  drop  of  water  disappears  in  a 
boundless  sea.  Others  were  Epicureans, 
materialists,  who  said  ^^ Death  ends  all." 
And,  inasmuch  as  life  was  circumscribed  by 
the  narrow  horizons  of  time  and  sense,  what 
better  could  they  do  than  make  the  most  of 
the  passing  hour?  Their  aphorism  was, 
'^Let  us  eat,  drink  and  be  merry;  for  to- 
morrow we  die."  Others  were  Academ- 
icians, practical  agnostics,  whose  sugges- 
tions were  all  prefaced  with  a  perhaps  or 
it-may-be-so.  And  besides  these  there  was 
the  usual  throng  of  curiosity-mongers  and 
hangers-on.    To  the  mind  of  the  great  Mis- 

56 


PAUL'S  CAMPAIGNS 

sionary  all  these  were  souls,  precious  in  the 
sight  of  God. 

OBSERVE   THE   SERMON 

Its  exordium  was  most  felicitous.  Tak- 
ing for  his  text  the  inscription  upon  an  altar 
which  he  had  observed  in  the  market-place, 
^*To  an  Unknown  God,"  he  began  by  say- 
ing, ^^  Ye  men  of  Athens,  in  all  things  I  per- 
ceive that  ye  are  very  religious."  It  was  a 
clever  compliment  and  gained  him  their 
good-will.  His  proposition  was  announced 
in  these  terms:  ^'This  unknown  God  de- 
clare I  unto  you,"  He  then  proceeded  to 
show  how  God,  so  far  from  being  really  un- 
known, had  unveiled  himself  in  many  ways : 
first,  in  creation;  he  ^^made  the  world  and 
all  things  therein":  second,  in  providence; 
^^In  him  we  live  and  move  and  have  our  be- 
ing": and  third,  in  grace;  "^j  that  Man 
whom  he  hath  ordained;  whereof  he  hath 
given  assurance  unto  all  men  in  that  he 
raised  him  from  the  dead."  At  this  point 
the  speaker  was  interrupted  and  the  assem- 
bly was  broken  up. 

67 


PAUL'S  CAMPAIGNS 
OBSERVE   THE   RESULT 

There  were  some  who  mocked ;  others  who 
said,  ^*We  will  hear  thee  again"  (but  they 
probably  never  did) ,  and  a  few  who  believed. 
Among  these  were  Dionysius,  a  member  of 
the  Court  of  Areopagus,  and  a  woman  named 
Damaris,  of  whom  we  hear  no  more. 

But  Paul's  sermon  on  Mars  Hill  was  not 
in  vain;  for  thus  saith  the  Lord,  ^^As  the 
rain  cometh  down  and  the  snow  from  heaven, 
and  returneth  not  thither,  but  watereth  the 
earth  and  maketh  it  bring  forth  and  bud, 
that  it  may  give  seed  to  the  sower  and  bread 
to  the  eater,  so  shall  my  word  be  that  goeth 
forth  out  of  my  mouth;  it  shall  not  return 
unto  me  void,  but  it  shall  accomplish  that 
which  I  please,  and  it  shall  prosper  in  the 
thing  whereto  I  sent  it.'' 


58 


XIII 
AT  CORINTH 

Acts  18 : 1-22 

All  that  now  remains  of  Corinth  is  a  con- 
fused mass  of  ruins.  At  the  time  of  Paul's 
visit  it  vied  with  Athens  in  renown :  but  they 
were  very  different  cities.  Athens  was 
learned  and  aristocratic;  Corinth  was  com- 
mercial and  democratic.  Its  two  ports,  Cen- 
chreae  on  the  east  and  Lechaeum  on  the  west, 
invited  the  commerce  of  the  world.  Its 
magnificent  places  of  amusement  made  it  the 
most  popular  of  summer  resorts.  Its  Tem- 
ple of  Venus  (where  no  less  than  a  thousand 
so-called  ^^priestesses"  were  consecrated  to 
open  sensuality)  with  innumerable  shrines 
of  other  gods,  threw  over  its  nameless  vices 
the  glamour  of  religion.  To  speak  of  a 
woman  as  ^^a  Corinthian"  was  equivalent  to 
calling  her  a  courtesan.  To  say  that  a  young 
man  was  ^ living  in  Corinth"  was  to  affirm 
that  he  was  recklessly  sowing  his  wild  oats. 

59 


PAUL'S  CAMPAIGNS 

It  was  a  busy,  wealthy,  populous,  pleasure- 
loving,  splendid,  wicked  city. 

Paul  was  alone  when  he  came  to  Corinth, 
having  left  his  three  companions — Luke, 
Silas  and  Timothy — to  look  after  the  con- 
verts in  Philippi,  Thessalonica  and  Beroea. 
He  began  his  work,  as  usual,  by  preaching  in 
the  synagogue,  ^^and  persuaded  the  Jews  and 
the  Greeks."  When  Silas  and  Timothy 
joined  him  he  had  added  impetus;  he  was 
^^  pressed  in  the  spirit,  and  testified  to  the 
Jews  that  Jesus  was  Christ."  As  usual  the 
Jews  refused  to  hear  him.  He  then  ' '  turned 
to  the  Gentiles":  and  continued  his  labors 
among  them  a  year  and  a  half,  organizing 
the  converts  into  one  of  the  strongest  and 
most  faithful  of  the  early  churches. 

Among  the  first  of  these  converts  were 
Aquila  and  Priscilla,  a  man  and  his  wife 
who,  having  been  driven  out  of  Rome  by 
the  decree  of  Claudius  against  the  Jews,  had 
come  to  Corinth  and  set  up  a  tent- maker's 
shop.  Paul  found  employment  here  and, 
while  engaged  at  his  trade,  converted  his  em- 
ployers to  Christ.  In  after  years  they  were 
among  his  most  devoted  friends. 

60 


PAUL'S  CAMPAIGNS 

Another  of  the  early  converts  of  this  cam- 
paign was  Crispus,  the  ruler  of  the  syna- 
gogue, who  of  course  lost  his  position  when 
he  accepted  Christ.  He  and  his  family  were 
among  the  few  whom  Paul  himself  baptized ; 
this  sacrament  being  usually  committed  to 
other  hands,  perhaps  because  of  his  physi- 
cal infirmities.     (See  1  Cor.  1: 14-17.) 

Another  of  the  Corinthian  converts  was 
Gains,  probably  a  man  of  considerable 
wealth  and  distinction;  whom  Paul  calls 
^^my  host,"  from  which  we  may  infer  that 
the  apostle  made  his  home  with  him.  (Ro- 
mans 16:  23.) 

Another  was  a  certain  Justus,  ^^  whose 
house  joined  hard  to  the  synagogue. "  When 
the  synagogue  was  closed  to  the  preaching 
of  the  gospel,  the  home  of  Justus  was  thrown 
open  to  the  followers  of  Christ;  and  the 
Corinthian  church,  which  was  destined  to 
play  so  important  a  part  in  history,  was 
organized  there. 

Another  of  Paul's  personal  friends  was 
Sosthenes,  who  had  succeeded  Crispus  when 
the  latter  was  deposed  as  ruler  of  the  syna- 
gogue.   Paul  speaks  of  him  affectionately 

61 


PAUL'S  CAMPAIGNS 

as  '^oiir  brother. "  (1  Cor.  1:1.)  It  would 
appear  that  he  subsequently  served  as  the 
apostle's  scribe  or  amanuensis,  a  helper 
greatly  needed  by  Paul  on  account  of  his 
weak  eyes. 

There  were  many  other  Corinthian  stars 
in  Paul's  crown  of  rejoicing,  some  of  whom 
are  mentioned,  all  of  whom  are  recorded  in 
the  heavenly  Book  of  Remembrance.  In 
one  of  his  darkest  hours  of  spiritual  depres- 
sion— for  Paul  was  a  man  of  like  passions 
with  other  men  and  there  were  many  dis- 
couragements in  his  lonely  work — he  had  a 
vision  in  which  the  Lord  comforted  him  by 
saying,  ^^Be  not  afraid,  but  speak,  and  hold 
not  thy  peace ;  for  I  am  with  thee,  .  .  .  for 
I  have  much  people  in  this  city. ' '  By  which 
he  was  given  to  understand  that  his  work 
was  not  to  be  measured  by  its  visible  fruits. 
^^The  Lord  knoweth  them  that  are  his." 
Who  can  count  the  '^hidden  ones'"? 

An  attempt  was  made  by  the  Jews  to  break 
up  Paul's  work,  by  bringing  against  him 
the  charge,  ^^This  fellow  persuadeth  men  to 
worship  God  contrary  to  the  law,"  i.e.,  con- 

62 


PAUL'S  CAMPAIGNS 

trary  to  the  Jewish  law.  Fortunately  the 
case  came  before  a  brother  of  Seneca,  known 
as  ''the  amiable  Gallio,"  who  at  this  time 
was  Proconsul  of  Achaia.  As  a  Roman 
magistrate  he  very  properly  declined  to  pass 
upon  a  purely  religious  question  and  threw 
the  matter  out  of  court. 

The  church  at  Corinth  being  organized 
and  well  under  way,  Paul  ''took  leave  of  the 
brethren"  and  set  sail  for  home.  By  the 
way  he  tarried  at  Ephesus  and  at  Jerusalem 
— where  he  had  a  vow  to  fulfill — and  at 
Csesarea ;  and  then  on  to  Antioch,  the  center 
of  operations,  to  report  the  blessed  results 
of  his  Second  Missionary  Journey.  It  was, 
doubtless,  a  happy  "hame-bringing,"  accom- 
panied with  much  thanksgiving  for  the  good- 
ness of  God. 

How  little  did  the  wealthy,  worldly,  pleas- 
ure-loving, idol-worshiping  people  of  Cor- 
inth suspect  that  their  city  would  find  its 
most  enduring  fame  through  the  patient, 
difficult,  inconspicuous  work  of  Paul !  Who 
would  have  imagined  that  its  most  distin- 
guished citizen,  the  Proconsul  Gallio,  would 

63 


PAUL'S  CAMPAIGNS 

best  be  remembered  by  Ms  association  with 
^^the  ugly  little  Jew'M^  Here  is  comfort 
for  all  humble  workmen. 

''Toil  on;  in  hope  o'ercome 

The  steeps  God  set  for  thee ; 
For  past  the  Alpine  summits  of  great  toil 
Lieth  thine  Italy!" 


1  So  Renan  calls  Paul. 

64 


XIV 

THE  THIRD  JOURNEY 

ACTS  18:23-28;   19:1-41;   20:1 

On  reaching  Antioch  in  Syria,  at  the  close 
of  his  second  journey,  Paul  settled  down  for 
^^some  time,"  probably  the  greater  part  of  a 
year.  Then  the  wanderlust  of  missions 
again  took  possession  of  him ;  and  he  set  out 
to  revisit  and  ^^ strengthen"  the  churches. 

*^  All  the  country  of  Galatia  and  Phrygia," 
being  familiar  ground,  was  passed  over  as 
rapidly  as  possible  and  without  note.  The 
great  city  of  Ephesus  was  the  first  objective 
point ;  after  which  Paul  proposed  to  push  on 
to  Corinth,  thence  to  Jerusalem,  and  after 
that  to  Rome.    Always  to  Rome ! 

AT  EPHESUS 

But  events  so  shaped  themselves,  and  so 
great  were  the  demands  of  the  people  of 
Ephesus,  that  on  reaching  that  city  he  was 

65 


PAUL'S  CAMPAIGNS 

constrained  to   remain  there   three   whole 
years. 

I.  It  will  be  remembered  that  on  the  re- 
turn from  his  second  missionary  journey  he 
had  brought  with  him  the  tent-makers 
Aquila  and  Priscilla,  whom  he  left  at  Ephe- 
sus.  (Acts  18:19.)  These  faithful  work- 
ers had  not  been  idle  there ;  but  by  a  quiet 
ministry  had  been  arranging  a  full  ^^prepar- 
edness" for  Paul's  arrival. 

II.  The  presence  of  ApoUos  in  Ephesus 
had  contributed  to  the  same  end.  He  is 
spoken  of  as  '^a  Jew  of  Alexandria,  an  elo- 
quent man  and  mighty  in  the  Scriptures." 
The  fact  that  he  came  from  Alexandria,  the 
city  of  the  great  library  and  of  the  Septua- 
gint,  is  an  intimation  that  he  was  a  learned 
man.  His  familiarity  with  the  Scriptures 
shows  that  he  was  a  loyal  Jew.  The  further 
statement  that  he  '^taught  diligently  the 
things  of  the  Lord"  makes  it  clear  that  he 
had  at  least  accepted  the  Messiahship  of 
Jesus;  and,  being  '^fervent  in  spirit,"  he 
was  doing  his  utmost  to  persuade  others  to 
believe  in  it. 

But  as  yet  he  was  inadequately  equipped 

66 


PAUL'S  CAMPAIGNS 

for  Ms  work,  ^^  knowing  only  the  baptism  of 
John."  He  had  learned  much  of  Jesus  at 
second  hand ;  but  of  his  real  teaching,  of  the 
true  significance  of  the  Cross,  and  particu- 
larly as  to  the  reality  and  personality  of  the 
Holy  Spirit,  he  had  little  or  no  information. 

At  this  juncture  Aquila  and  Priscilla  came 
to  the  rescue.  *^They  expounded  unto  him 
the  way  of  God  more  perfectly."  A  curious 
conjunction,  this ;  the  learned  Apollos  sitting 
at  the  feet  of  two  tent-makers !  Was  there 
ever  a  stranger  theological  seminary  than 
this  in  the  house  of  Aquila  and  Priscilla? 
But  even  they  could  not  fully  instruct  him 
in  the  way.  They  could  help  him  to  move 
on  from  the  baptism  of  John  the  Baptist, 
which  was  only  unto  repentance,  into  the 
baptism  of  Jesus,  which  was  unto  the  fulness 
of  life ;  but  they  were  incompetent  to  advise 
him  as  to  the  miracle  of  Pentecost  and  its 
wonderful  significance.  Poor  Apollos!  It 
is  a  hard  business  for  one  who  has  not  made 
the  acquaintance  of  the  Holy  Spirit  to  ^^run 
up  the  heavenly  way." 

III.  This,  then,  was  the  state  of  affairs 
when  Paul  arrived   in   Ephesus.     Apollos 

67 


PAUL'S  CAMPAIGNS 

was  not  there  to  greet  him,  having  gone  on 
to  Corinth  with  credentials  from  his  Ephe- 
sian  friends;  and  he  was  now  engaged  in 
'^helping  believers  and  convincing  the 
Jews"  of  that  city:  but  he  had  left  behind 
him  in  Ephesus  a  little  group  of  earnest 
seekers  after  truth. 

Paul  at  once  entered  the  synagogue  after 
his  usual  custom,  and  for  three  months  con- 
tinued to  ^^ speak  boldly,''  ^^ disputing  and 
persuading  the  things  concerning  the  king- 
dom of  God":  and  of  course  with  the  usual 
result. 

On  being  expelled  from  the  synagogue  he 
entered  the  School  of  Tyrannus — possibly  a 
philosopher  who  had  lost  his  following — 
where  he  made  his  headquarters  for  two 
years  or  more.  During  this  time  three  inci- 
dents of  special  note  occurred. 

First,  Paul  met  the  followers  of  Apollos, 
twelve  men  in  particular,  of  whom  he  asked, 
^^Have  ye  received  the  Holy  Ghost  since  ye 
believed  ^ ' '  They  answered  (not, ' '  We  have 
not  so  much  as  heard  whether  there  be  any 
Holy  Ghost,"  but),  ''Nay,  we  did  not  so 
much  as  hear  whether  the  Holy  Spirit  was 

68 


PAUL'S  CAMPAIGNS 

given."  Whereupon  Paul  told  them  how 
Christ's  promise  had  been  fulfilled  on  the 
Day  of  Pentecost.  And  when  they  con- 
fessed that  they  had  only  received  John's 
baptism  unto  repentance,  he  baptized  them 
'4n  the  name  of  the  Lord  Jesus,"  with  the 
baptism  of  fire  and  power. 

Second,  the  great  bonfire.  The  supersti- 
tious use  of  the  name  of  Jesus  by  the  seven 
Sons  of  Sceva,  for  the  healing  of  demoni- 
acal possession,  led  to  a  general  revolt  among 
the  Christians  against  all  sorts  of  f  etichism ; 
so  that  charms  and  cabalistic  letters  of  everv 
sort  were  brought  together  and  burned  up. 
If  all  our  fetiches  were  thus  disposed  of — 
such  as  rosaries  and  crooked  sixpences  and 
broad  phylacteries  and  foolish  dreads  of 
thirteen  and  Friday  and  the  like — what  a 
bonfire  there  would  be ! 

Third,  the  riot,  led  by  Demetrius  the  sil- 
versmith. Paul's  preaching  against  the 
worship  of  idols  had  so  reduced  the  sale  of 
shrines  and  images  that  great  Diana,  the 
tutelary  goddess  of  Ephesus,  was  being  set 
at  naught.  The  craftsmen,  whose  business 
was  seriously  affected,  stirred  up  the  popu- 

69 


PAUL'S  CAMPAIGNS 

lace;  and  Paul  and  Ms  companions  might 
have  fared  badly  indeed  but  for  the  tactful 
management  of  the  town-clerk  in  dispersing 
the  mob. 

It  was  at  length  apparent  to  Paul  that  the 
time  had  arrived  to  move  on:  so  ^^he  called 
unto  him  the  disciples,  and  embraced  them, 
and  departed."  He  had  already  dispatched 
Timothy  and  Erastus  to  Corinth  to  prepare 
the  way  before  him.  On  to  Thessalonica,  to 
Beroea,  to  Athens,  to  Eome.  Always  to 
Rome,  the  center  of  the  world!  He  must 
preach  the  gospel  at  Eome ! 


70 


XV 

A  BUSY  YEAR— A.  D.  57 

Acts  20:1-12 

At  the  close  of  Paul's  three  eventful  years 
in  Ephesus,  ^Hhe  uproar  having  ceased,''  he 
resumed  his  journey:  leaving  Timothy  be- 
hind him  to  look  after  the  welfare  of  the 
Christians  in  that  city.     (1  Tim.  1 :  3.) 

He  went  afoot  to  Troas,  probably  canvass- 
ing en  route  the  Seven  Churches  of  Asia. 
He  had  been  hoping  that  Titus  would  join 
him  at  Troas ;  but  being  disappointed  in  this, 
he  pressed  on  alone,  ^^ exhorting"  by  the  way. 
(2Cor.  2:12, 13.) 

On  reaching  Macedonia  he  revisited  the 
churches  of  Philippi,  Thessalonica  and  Be- 
roea,  meanwhile  reaching  out  into  other  un- 
evangelized  towns  and  villages.  Not  satis- 
fied with  this  he  pushed  on  into  the  regions 
beyond,  going  ^^  round   about  unto  lUyri- 

71 


PAUL'S  CAMPAIGNS 

cum,"^  the  mountainous  country  on  the 
eastern  shore  of  the  Adriatic  Sea. 

It  is  characteristic  of  Paul  that  he  should 
have  passed  over  this  important  and  danger- 
ous itinerary  with  so  slight  mention.  Who 
knows  what  wonders  were  wrought,  what 
seed-sowing  for  future  harvest,  by  this 
*^ roundabout"  tour?  *^The  day  shall  de- 
clare it."     (Romans  15: 19;  1  Cor.  3: 13.) 

He  then  turned  southward  into  Greece, 
and  on  reaching  Corinth  was  comforted  by 
the  arrival  of  his  beloved  Titus.  (2  Cor. 
7 :  6,  7.)  While  there,  for  a  period  of  three 
months,  he  not  only  preached  and  ministered 
to  the  disciples  but  found  time  to  write  the 
Epistle  to  the  Romans,  which  was  sent  by 
the  hand  of  the  deaconess  Phoebe,  as  a  cir- 
cular letter  to  the  Gentile  churches. 

It  was  now  his  purpose  to  sail  for  Syria, 
accompanied  by  seven  chosen  helpers; 
namely,  Sopater,  Aristarchus,  Secundus, 
Gains,  Timothy,  Tychicus  and  Trophimus; 
a  noble  band.  But  ^^man  proposes,  God  dis- 
poses."   A  plot  was  discovered  against  the 

1  Illyricum    embraced   the     modern    countries    of    Bosnia, 
Croatia  and  Dalmatia. 

72 


PAUL'S  CAMPAIGNS 

life  of  Paul  which  made  it  necessary  for  the 
seven  to  sail  without  him,  the  understanding 
being  that  he  would  rejoin  them  at  Troas. 

So  Paul,  alone  and  afoot,  turned  his  face 
toward  the  north  and  came  roundabout  to 
Philippi,  where  he  was  in  time  to  join  his 
friends  in  the  keeping  of  the  Passover;  a 
feast  which  had  a  peculiar  significance  for 
the  early  Christians  by  reason  of  its  close 
association  with  the  Lord's  Supper.  (1  Cor. 
5:  7,  8.)  At  this  point  Paul's  comfort  and 
happiness  were  greatly  enhanced  by  meet- 
ing Luke,  his  physician  and  devoted  friend, 
who  had  been  left  in  charge  of  the  Philippian 
church  and  whose  connection  with  the  nar- 
rative is  still  indicated  by  the  occurrence  of 
the  familiar  ^^we." 

After  the  celebration  of  the  feast,  Luke 
says,  ^^we  sailed  away  from  Philippi,"  and 
came  ^^to  Troas."  The  voyage  took  five 
days,  twice  the  usual  time,  by  reason  of  the 
equinoctial  winds.  On  their  arrival  they 
met  the  seven  missionaries  with  many  others 
and  remained  seven  days.  On  the  evening 
of  the  first  day  of  the  week  (note  the  observ- 
ance of  the  First  Day  as  the  Christian  Sab- 

73 


PAUL'S  CAMPAIGNS 

bath),  when  the  church  was  assembled  for 
worship,  Paul  preached  until  midnight. 
The  room  was  crowded,  the  air  was  bad  (ow- 
ing to  ^^many  lights' 0?  ^^^  the  sermon  was 
long:  wherefore  it  is  not  surprising  that  a 
youth  named  Eutychus  should  have  gone  to 
the  window  ledge  for  a  breath  of  fresh  air. 
Overcome  by  faintness  and  drowsiness,  he 
fell  into  the  street  and  was  taken  up  dead ; 
whereupon  Paul  restored  him  to  life.  The 
meeting  then  continued  until  the  breaK  of 
day. 

The  band  of  missionaries  tooK  ship  the 
next  morning;  but  again  they  left  Paul  be- 
hind them.  For  some  reason  he  preferred 
to  go  afoot  and  by  himself,  agreeing  to  rejoin 
his  companions  at  Assos,  a  port  of  entrj 
twenty  miles  south.  Here  with  his  staff  in 
hand  on  the  lonely  road  we  leave  him. 

A  busy  year,  indeed.  Paul  was  a  born 
itinerant :  and  how  wonderfully  he  made  his 
itineraries  tell  for  the  glory  of  God!  He 
was  engaged  all  this  year  in  doing  three 
things : 

First,  ^^ Exhorting."  The  Greek  here 
means  ^^ calling  near  with  much  discourse." 

74 


PAUL'S  CAMPAIGNS 

Paul  was  always  persuading  the  unconverted 
to  come  to  Christ  and  Christians  to  come 
nearer.  This  was  his  conception  of  preach- 
ing. There  are  many  unsuccessful  preach- 
ers who  would  do  well  to  adopt  it. 

Second,  writing  to  the  churches.  Two 
certainly  and  probably  more  of  his  epistles 
were  composed  during  this  year.  How  did 
he  find  time  for  this  ?  Where  was  his  leisure 
for  study?  The  answer  is  that  time  and 
leisure  are  always  given  in  sufficiency  to 
those  who  plan  great  things  for  God. 

Third,  ^^ Collecting  for  the  saints."  It 
was  in  Paul's  mind,  when  projecting  this 
journey,  to  canvass  the  Gentile  churches  for 
another  offering  in  behalf  of  the  famine- 
stricken  Christians  at  Jerusalem.  This  help 
was  in  due  time  received  by  the  mother 
church  with  many  thanks ;  and  it  served  as 
an  effective  bond  of  union  between  the  Jew- 
ish and  Gentile  followers  of  Christ. 

So  did  the  great  Missionary  employ  his 
time  and  energy  for  Christ.  In  that  very 
year  the  Eoman  general  Suetonius  was  push- 
ing his  conquests  in  Britain.  Who  would 
have  predicted  that  Paul  would  survive  Sue- 

75 


PAUL'S  CAMPAIGNS 

tonius  even  in  the  world's  esteem^  Yet  so 
it  is.  The  reason  ?  Paul  had  set  his  heart 
upon  the  noblest  and  best,  saying,  ^'The  love 
of  Christ  constraineth  me." 

Paul,  like  Suetonius,  was  dreaming  of  con- 
quest, but  of  another  sort.  In  his  Epistle  to 
the  Romans  (15:  20-33)  he  says,  ^^Whenso- 
ever I  take  my  journey  into  Spain  I  will 
come  to  you."  He  meant  to  reach  Spain — 
the  end  of  the  world  by  ^'the  Pillars  of 
Hercules" — pausing  at  Rome  on  the  way! 
What  if  he  did  fail  of  that  far-distant  goal  ? 
It  is  the  dreamers  of  dreams  and  the  seers 
of  visions  who  ever  accomplish  great  things 
for  God. 


76 


XVI 

AT  MILETUS 

ACTS  20: 13-38 
FAREWELL  TO   OLD   FRIENDS 

The  group  of  missionaries,  as  we  have 
seen,  sailed  from  Troas  without  Paul;  the 
understanding  being  that  he  would  rejoin 
them  at  Assos.  He  set  out,  accordingly, 
alone  and  afoot — perhaps  because  he  longed 
to  be  by  himself  for  prayer  and  meditation — 
and  after  a  journey  of  twenty  miles  reached 
Assos,  where  the  ship  with  his  friends  was 
awaiting  him.  The  voyage  was  close  in- 
shore and  cautiously  slow  on  account  of  the 
equinoctial  winds. 

No  stop  was  made  at  Ephesus,  because 
Paul  wished  to  be  at  Jerusalem  in  time  for 
the  Feast  of  Pentecost.  The  ship  touched, 
however,  at  Miletus ;  which  was  near  enough 
for  the  elders  of  the  Ephesian  church  to 
come,  at  the  summons  of  the  great  apostle, 
to  hold  a  farewell  interview  with  him. 

77 


PAUL'S  CAMPAIGNS 

The  most  notable  of  the  ruins  of  this  an- 
cient city  of  Miletus  are  the  standing  col- 
umns of  a  pagan  temple  and  the  well-pre- 
served circle  of  an  amphitheater  once 
thronged  by  the  pleasure-seekers  of  Ephesus. 
But  never  did  that  imposing  place  witness  so 
memorable  an  assembly  as  now  knelt  upon 
the  shore  under  the  open  sky. 

The  address  of  Paul  began  with  a  touching 
review  of  his  faithful  ministry  among  them : 
*^  Ye  know  how  I  was  with  you,  in  all  humil- 
ity and  with  many  tears ;  how  I  taught  you 
publicly  and  from  house  to  house;  how  I 
kept  nothing  back,  but  declared  unto  you  the 
whole  counsel  of  God."  Then  a  brief  refer- 
ence to  the  future:  *'I  go  bound  in  the 
spirit  unto  Jerusalem,  not  knowing  the 
things  that  shall  befall  me  there,  save  that 
the  Holy  Ghost  witnesseth  in  every  city,  say- 
ing that  bonds  and  afflictions  abide  me.  But 
none  of  these  things  move  me,  neither  count 
I  my  life  dear  unto  myself,  so  that  I  might 
finish  my  course  with  joy,  and  the  ministry 
which  I  have  received  of  the  Lord  Jesus,  to 
testify  the  gospel  of  the  grace  of  God." 

Five  years  later  we  shall  see  him  still 

78 


PAUL'S  CAMPAIGNS 

confronting  the  future  with  unfaltering 
faith  and  courage,  saying,  ^^  Brethren,  I 
count  not  myself  to  have  apprehended :  but 
this  one  thing  I  do,  forgetting  those  things 
which  are  behind,  and  reaching  forth  unto 
those  things  which  are  before,  I  press  toward 
the  mark  for  the  prize  of  the  high  calling  of 
God  in  Christ  Jesus." 

Ten  years  later  still  we  shall  find  him  in 
the  Mammertine  jail,  listening  for  the  foot- 
fall of  his  executioner  and  saying,  ^^I  am  now 
ready  to  be  offered,  and  the  time  of  my  de- 
parture is  at  hand.  I  have  fought  a  good 
fight,  I  have  finished  my  course,  I  have  kept 
the  faith :  henceforth  there  is  laid  up  for  me 
a  crown  of  righteousness,  which  the  Lord,  the 
righteous  judge,  shall  give  me  at  that  day: 
and  not  to  me  only,  but  unto  all  them  also 
that  love  his  appearing." 

Wonderful  faith!  Splendid  courage! 
Noble  ambition;  to  ^^ finish  his  course  with 

joy"! 

He  then,  in  his  address,  turned  from  him- 
self to  the  needs  of  his  Christian  friends. 
Hear  his  ominous  words:  ^^I  know  this, 
that    after   my    departing    shall    grievous 

7§ 


PAUL'S  CAMPAIGNS 

wolves  enter  in  among  you,  not  sparing  the 
flock.  Also  of  your  own  selves  shall  men 
arise,  speaking  perverse  things,  to  draw 
away  disciples  after  them."  Wolves! 
Wolves !  He  was  not  thinking  of  persecu- 
tion. He  assumed  that  as  a  matter  of 
course;  and  took  it  for  granted  that  the 
elders  of  Ephesus  would  be  prepared  to  meet 
it.  But  wolves  in  sheep's  clothing!  Some 
'^of  your  own  selves"!  Men  in  canonicals 
and  bound  by  ordination  vows ! 

Then  followed  a  two-fold  warning. 

First,  ^^take  heed  to  yourselves!"  For 
doubtless  they  were  inwardly  asking,  like 
the  disciples  in  the  upper  room,  ^^Is  it  I?" 
Paul  himself  was  not  overconfident  of  his 
own  strength,  else  why  should  he  say,  '^Lest 
when  I  have  preached  to  others,  I  myself 
should  be  a  castaway"  ?  (1  Cor.  9 :  26,*^ 27.) 
Wherefore  let  him  that  thinketh  he  standeth 
take  heed  lest  he  fall. 

Second,  ^'Take  heed  to  all  the  flock,  over 
the  which  the  Holy  Ghost  hath  made  you 
overseers,  to  feed  the  church  of  God  which 
he  hath  purchased  with  his  own  blood." 

80 


PAUL'S  CAMPAIGNS 

Observe,  he  does  not  say,  ^^Make  food  for 
the  flock,  ^'  as  some  of  us  ministers  would 
seem  to  interpret  it.  The  food  is  adequately 
provided  in  the  Word  of  God ;  our  business 
is  simply  to  administer  it.  Wherefore  all 
true  sermons  are  expository.  The  mere 
opinion  of  a  surpliced  clergyman  is  of  no 
more  value  than  the  ipse  dixit  of  other  men. 
People  come  to  church  not  to  hear  what  the 
preacher  has  to  say  about  the  great  prob- 
lems of  life  and  immortality,  but  to  hear 
what  God  has  to  say  through  him.  Our 
function,  accordingly,  is  not  to  manufacture 
truth  and  ethics,  but  to  feed  the  flock  with 
what  has  been  divinely  provided,  and  to 
^^keep  nothing  back,"  but  '* declare  the  whole 
counsel  of  God." 

This  two-fold  admonition  is  followed  by  a 
recital  of  certain  words  of  Christ  which  are 
recorded  nowhere  else  in  Scripture:  ^^ Re- 
member the  words  of  the  Lord  Jesus,  how 
he  said,  It  is  more  blessed  to  give  than  to 
receive. ' '  Thanks  to  Paul  for  this  authentic 
quotation.  It  stands  as  a  monograph  of  the 
wonderful  life  of  Him  who  came  not  to  be 

81 


PAUL'S  CAMPAIGNS 

ministered  unto  but  to  minister,  and  marks 
out  the  path  of  usefulness  for  all  who  follow 
Him. 

The  meeting  closed  with  prayer.  ^^He 
kneeled  down  and  prayed  with  them  all." 
Would  that  the  words  of  that  prayer  had 
been  left  us.  Of  this,  however,  we  may  be 
sure;  it  is  preserved  in  those  ^^ golden  vials 
of  odors"  with  which  the  four-and-twenty 
elders  minister  in  the  services  of  the  Heav- 
enly City.     (Rev.  5:8.) 

The  elders  have  now  gathered  about  Paul 
to  say  farewell.  They  are  weeping,  ^^most 
of  all  for  the  words  which  he  spake,  that 
they  should  see  his  face  no  more."  Fare- 
well! 

The  moorings  are  loosed ;  the  ship  is  under 
way.  ^^The  best  of  friends  must  part"? 
Nay,  Paul  and  the  elders  must  indeed  part, 
but  not  Christ  and  his  true  friends.  For  has 
he  not  said,  ^'I  will  not  leave  you;  lo,  I  am 
with  you  alway,  even  unto  the  end"? 

' '  I  could  not  live  apart  from  Him ; 
I  love  to  feel  Him  nigh ; 
And  so  we  dwell  together, 
My  Lord  and  I." 

82 


XVII 
BOUND  FOR  JERUSALEM 

ACTS  21,  22,  23:  1-22 

The  ship  on  which  the  missionary  band 
left  Miletus  made  '^sl  straight  course"  to  the 
southeast,  touching  only  for  necessary  sup- 
plies and  for  unlading  at  ports  along  the 
way. 

AT   TYRE 

The  first  stop  of  any  importance  was  at 
Tyre,  which  would  probably  be  reached  on 
the  sixth  day.  Here  there  was  a  delay  of  a 
whole  week,  which  Paul  and  his  companions 
put  to  profitable  use.  The  Christians  there 
— some  of  them  possibly  dating  their  con- 
version from  the  time  when  Jesus  made  his 
foreign  missionary  tour  in  that  region 
(Matt.  15:21) — were  at  once  assembled  to 
hear  what  their  distinguished  visitors  had 
to  say. 

It  was  a  blessed  week  of  fellowship,  but 

83 


PAUL'S  CAMPAIGNS 

most  trying  to  Paul,  who  was  earnestly  en- 
treated not  to  persist  in  going  to  Jerusalem. 
Tears  and  entreaties,  however,  were  of  no 
avail.  Finding  him  immovable  in  his  pur- 
pose, Luke  says,  ^^They  all  brought  us  on 
our  way,  with  wives  and  children,  till  we 
were  out  of  the  city."  Then,  as  at  Miletus, 
*^we  kneeled  down  on  the  shore  and  prayed." 
Again,  farewell ! 

AT   PTOLEMAIS 

The  ship  touched  at  Ptolemais  (familiarly 
known  to  students  of  the  Crusades  as  Acre) 
for  a  single  day:  just  long  enough  to  '^salute 
the  brethren"  and  say  good-by.  The  rest  of 
the  journey  to  Csesarea  was  overland,  about 
forty  miles. 

AT   C^SAREA 

Paul  and  his  companions  on  their  arrival 
here  were  met  by  the  brethren,  among  whom 
was  Philip  the  Evangelist,  one  of  the  orig- 
inal seven  deacons,  who  had  been  driven  out 
of  Jerusalem  thirty  years  before  by  the  per- 
secuting Jews.  In  his  hospitable  home  Paul 
was  entertained  ^'many  days."     There  were 

84 


PAUL'S  CAMPAIGNS 

four  unmarried  daughters  in  the  family, 
who  had  devoted  their  lives  to  ^^prophesy- 
ing,'' the  word  being  used  broadly  to  signify 
the  teaching  of  religious  truth.  What  an 
oasis  in  the  itinerant  life  of  the  busy  apostle 
these  '^many  days"  in  a  happy  home  must 
have  been ! 

While  he  was  there  a  divinely  called  and 
equipped  teacher  named  Agabus  came  down 
from  Jerusalem  to  warn  him  against  his  pro- 
jected visit  to  that  city.  He  dramatically 
took  off  Paul's  girdle  and  bound  it  about  his 
own  hands  and  feet,  saying,  ^^So  shall  the 
Jews  at  Jerusalem  bind  the  man  that  own- 
eth  this  girdle!"  Whereupon,  says  Luke, 
^^He  and  they  of  that  place  besought  him  not 
to  go."  But  their  entreaties  were  of  no 
avail.  Paul  answered,  ^^What  mean  ye  to 
weep  and  to  break  my  heart?  For  I  am 
ready  not  to  be  bound  only,  but  also  to  die 
at  Jerusalem  for  the  name  of  the  Lord 
Jesus."  And  when  he  would  not  be  per- 
suaded, they  ceased,  saying,  '^The  will  of  the 
Lord  be  done." 

So  the  devoted  band  took  up  their  luggage 
and  went  on,  like  Christ  himself  on  his  last 

85 


PAUL'S  CAMPAIGNS 

fateful  journey  to  Jerusalem,  their  faces 
^^set  steadfastly  to  go."  They  were  accom- 
panied out  of  Cassarea  by  a  bodyguard  of 
Christians,  among  them  an  old  disciple 
named  Mnason,  of  whom  we  shall  presently 
hear  more.  Little  did  Paul  dream  what  a 
different  escort  he  would  have  when  he 
should  next  return  to  this  fateful  city ! 

AT   JERUSALEM 

On  reaching  Jerusalem  the  missionaries 
were  ^^ gladly  received"  by  the  brethren  of 
the  mother  church.  Paul  was  happily  en- 
tertained in  the  home  of  the  aged  Mnason. 
He  was  now  among  the  familiar  scenes  of  his 
boyhood.  No  doubt  he  met  many  of  his  for- 
mer Jewish  friends,  some  of  whom  would 
recall  their  association  with  him  at  Gama- 
liel's school;  others  who  had  known  him  of- 
ficially in  the  Sanhedrin  in  what  they  would 
have  called  his  palmier  days. 

On  the  morrow  after  his  arrival  a  meet- 
ing of  the  ^'official  board"  of  the  church  was 
called,  at  which  James  the  pastor  and  his 
elders  were  ''all  present."  Paul  told  them 
the  story  of  his  missionary  journeys  thus 

86 


PAUL'S  CAMPAIGNS 

far  and  of  their  rich  ingathering  of  souls. 
But  these  Jewish  Christians  were  in  no  mood 
to  rejoice  with  him.  There  was  trouble  in 
the  air. 

^^Thou  seest,  brother,"  said  James,  ^^how 
many  among  us  are  zealous  for  the  Jewish 
law.  It  is  rumored  that  thou  hast  been 
teaching  the  Gentile  converts  that  it  is  not 
necessary  for  them  to  observe  that  law. 
When  thy  presence  in  the  city  is  spread 
abroad,  take  heed!  We  have  this  to  sug- 
gest :  here  are  four  men  who  are  discharging 
a  vow;  go  up  to  the  Temple,  remain  with 
these  votaries  during  the  ceremonial  rites 
and  pay  their  charges.  This  will  disarm 
criticism  and  our  people  will  have  naught 
against  thee.'' 

Inasmuch  as  no  sacrifice  of  principle  was 
involved  in  the  proposed  concession,  Paul 
agreed  to  it.  This  was  in  pursuance  of  his 
policy  of  ^^  being  all  things  to  all  men,  that  he 
might  by  all  means  save  some."  (1  Cor. 
9:22.)  The  line,  however,  was  always 
drawn  at  the  boundaries  of  right  and  wrong. 

But  in  this  case  his  seemingly  harmless 
compromise  did  not  accomplish  the  desired 

87 


PAUL'S  CAMPAIGNS 

end.  It  chanced  that  certain  Jews  of  Ephe- 
sus,  who  had  come  up  to  Pentecost,  saw 
Paul  in  the  Temple  and  immediately  raised 
the  cry,  ^^Men  of  Israel,  help !  Here  is  that 
apostate  who  has  been  preaching  against 
us ! "  Presently  the  whole  city  was  in  an  up- 
roar and  Paul  was  faring  ill  at  the  hands  of 
a  bloodthirsty  mob. 

The  captain  of  the  Roman  garrison  which 
was  stationed  at  the  Castle  of  Antonia  near 
by,  hearing  the  tumult,  came  at  double-quick 
with  a  troop  of  six  hundred  men.  Paul  was 
rescued,  bound  with  chains  to  a  soldier  on 
either  hand,  and  carried  away  to  the  castle. 
As  he  was  being  taken  up  the  outer  stair- 
way he  explained  to  Captain  Lysias  who  he 
was  and  desired  permission  to  address  the 
mob.  This  was  granted;  and  he  proceeded 
to  tell  the  oft-repeated  story  of  his  conver- 
sion. All  went  well  until  he  referred  to  his 
commission,  ^^I  will  send  thee  far  hence  unto 
the  Gentiles."  That  was  like  a  spark  to 
tinder.  ' '  Away  with  him !  Away  with  such 
a  fellow  from  the  earth !  It  is  not  fit  that 
he  should  live!" 

He  was  hurried  into  the  castle,  and  a  com- 

88 


PAUL'S  CAMPAIGNS 

mand  was  given  that  he  should  be  examined 
by  scourging.  But  when  Paul  remarked 
that  he  was  a  Roman  citizen,  the  captain  not 
only  desisted  from  the  proposed  scourging 
but  gave  orders  that  his  prisoner  should  be 
loosed  from  his  bonds.  Thus  it  appears  that 
Paul,  who  was  always  ready  to  turn  the 
other  cheek  when  anything  was  to  be  gained 
by  doing  so,  was  ready  also  on  occasion  to 
stand  upon  his  rights. 

The  next  morning,  on  being  haled  to  trial 
before  the  Sanhedrin,  he  began  his  defence 
by  saying,  *^Men  and  brethren,  I  have  lived 
in  all  good  conscience  before  God  until  this 
day."  That  was  as  far  as  he  was  permitted 
to  go.  The  high  priest,  who  was  none  other 
than  the  sensual  and  corrupt  Ananias,  com- 
manded him  to  be  smitten  on  the  mouth. 
Paul,  not  knowing  in  the  confusion  who  had 
given  this  command,  retorted,  ^^God  shall 
smite  thee,  thou  whited  wall!"  On  being 
reproved  for  thus  speaking  of  God's 
anointed,  he  made  a  suitable  explanation  and 
apology. 

As  Paul  was  then  proceeding  with  his  de- 
fence he  perceived  that  certain  of  the  Jews 

89 


PAUL'S  CAMPAIGNS 

who  were  present  sympattdzed  with  him  in 
his  affirmation  of  the  resurrection  of  the 
dead :  and,  knowing  that  this  was  a  bone  of 
contention  between  the  Sadducees  and  Phar- 
isees, he  executed  a  flank  movement,  so  to 
speak,  and  divided  his  foes.  Thereupon  a 
great  tumult  arose.  The  Sadducees  cried 
out  against  Paul;  but  the  Pharisees  said, 
*^We  find  no  evil  in  him.  Let  us  take  heed 
lest  we  be  found  fighting  against  God ! "  So 
back  to  the  castle  went  the  prisoner  at  the 
bar. 

The  next  day  a  conspiracy  was  framed  up 
against  Paul.  There  were  forty  Jews — as 
zealously  bent  on  evil  as  were  Ali  Baba  and 
his  forty  thieves — who  bound  themselves  by 
a  solemn  vow  to  kill  him.  It  chanced,  how- 
ever, that  Paul's  nephew  got  wind  of  the 
matter  and  informed  Lysias  of  it.  The  cap- 
tain, fortunately,  was  not  a  man  to  counte- 
nance this  sort  of  thing.  At  nine  o'clock 
that  night  the  sound  of  horses'  hoofs  was 
heard  in  the  open  court  of  the  castle.  The 
prisoner  was  brought  out  and  placed  in  the 
charge  of  a  military  escort  of  five  hundred 
men,  who  were  charged  to  take  him  to  Caesa- 

90 


PAUL'S  CAMPAIGNS 

rea  and  deliver  him  safely  to  the  Eoman 
Governor  in  that  city. 

So  ended  Paul's  visit  to  Jerusalem.  Was 
it  a  failure  *?  No  man  fails  who  follows  the 
pillar  of  cloud.  Our  success  is  never  to  be 
measured  by  visible  results,  but  by  faithful- 
ness in  the  discharge  of  whatever  duty  may 
be  assigned  to  us.  What  said  Luther  when 
warned  not  to  attend  the  Diet  of  Worms? 
^^I  would  go,  at  my  Lord's  command,  though 
the  road  to  Worms  were  lined  with  devils  as 
thick  as  the  tiles  on  the  housetops  along  the 
way." 

This  is  to  quit  one's  self  like  a  man! 


91 


XVIII 
AT  C^SAREA 

ACTS  23 : 23-35  ;  24 ;   25 ;   26 

On  reaching  Csesarea  the  Eoman  troop 
that  had  been  charged  with  the  safe  conduct 
of  Paul  delivered  him  over  to  Felix  the  Gov- 
ernor, with  the  letter  of  Captain  Lysias,  as 
follows : 

^^ Claudius  Lysias  unto  the  most  excellent 
Governor  Felix  sendeth  greeting.  This  man 
was  taken  of  the  Jews,  and  should  have  been 
killed  of  them:  then  came  I  with  an  army 
and  rescued  him^  having  understood  that  he 
was  a  Roman.  And  when  I  would  have 
known  the  cause  wherefore  they  accused  him, 
I  brought  him  forth  into  their  Council. 
There  I  perceived  him  to  be  accused  of  ques- 
tions of  their  Law,  but  to  have  nothing  laid 
to  his  charge  worthy  of  death  or  of  bonds. 
And  when  it  was  told  me  how  that  the  Jews 

92 


PAUL'S  CAMPAIGNS 

laid  wait  for  the  man,  I  sent  straightway  to 
thee,  and  gave  commandment  to  his  accusers 
also  to  say  before  thee  what  they  had  against 
him.    Farewell/^ 

It  was  only  twelve  days  since  Paul  had 
left  Caesarea,  despite  all  forebodings  and 
warnings ;  and  what  a  tragic  return  was  this ! 
He  was  then  an  honored  guest  of  the  breth- 
ren ;  now  he  is  bound  with  chains  and  held  as 
a  prisoner  in  the  Judgment  Hall. 

The  religious  leaders  at  Jerusalem,  gnash- 
ing their  teeth  at  his  escape,  made  haste  to 
follow  him.  It  was  a  journey  of  seventy 
miles;  but  none  too  far  for  Ananias  the 
priest,  whose  ears  were  still  tingling  with 
Paul's  ^Hhou  whited  wall";  nor  for  others 
of  the  Jews  whose  hearts  were  full  of  bitter- 
ness against  him.  They  brought  with  them 
a  Roman  barrister,  named  TertuUus,  that 
the  case  might  be  suitably  conducted  at  a 
Roman  Court. 

THE   TRIAL  BEFORE  FELIX 

The  counsel  for  the  prosecution  began 
with  the  usual  flattery  of  the  court,  and  then 

93 


PAUL'S  CAMPAIGNS 

presented  the  indictment,  which  was  in  three 
counts :  First,  the  prisoner  was  a  disturber 
of  the  peace ;  second,  he  was  a  ringleader  of 
the  Nazarene  sect;  thirds  he  was  guilty  of 
sacrilege  in  profaning  the  Temple  of  the 
Jews. 

Paul  entered  a  plea  of  not  guilty  under  all 
but  the  second  of  these  charges,  affirming 
that  there  was  no  proof  to  sustain  them. 

An  acquittal  was  in  order,  for  lack  of  evi- 
dence against  the  prisoner ;  but  Felix  was  not 
the  sort  of  magistrate  to  decide  a  case  upon 
its  merits.  A  slave  by  birth,  a  f  reedman  by 
happy  circumstances,  an  office-holder  by  im- 
perial favor,  a  past-master  in  all  notorious 
vices,  he  postponed  his  decision  ostensibly 
until  Captain  Lysias  should  arrive  with  the 
necessary  proofs,  but  really  in  the  hope  that 
Paul's  friends  would  buy  him  off. 

THE  PRISONER  ON   EXHIBITION 

Now  it  chanced  that  Felix  had  a  most 
beautiful  and  graceless  paramour,  named 
Drusilla,  whose  curiosity  was  aroused  by 
what  she  had  learned  of  the  eloquent  Jew; 
so  that  she  must  needs  hear  him.     He  was 

94 


PAUL'S  CAMPAIGNS 

summoned,  accordingly,  and  invited  to 
speak.  A  stranger  audience  had  never  as- 
sembled there;  the  Governor,  his  charming 
drab  and  the  court  favorites  in  rich  apparel. 
No  buttered  words  of  compliment  fell  from 
the  preacher 's  lips  that  day.  This  man  with 
a  chain  on  either  wrist  spoke  straight  as  a 
bolt  of  hghtning  to  the  sinful  hearts  of  his 
hearers.  ' '  Righteousness,  temperance,  judg- 
ment to  come"!  Well  might  Paul  tremble 
for  his  temerity !  It  is  not  Paul,  however, 
but  Felix  who  trembles!  He  and  the  little 
Jew  have  changed  places.  The  Governor 
stands  a  shaking  prisoner  at  the  Judgment 
Bar  of  God!  But  his  fear  is  only  momen- 
tary; a  glance  at  Drusilla  the  enchantress 
dispels  it.  Farewell,  opportunity!  ^^Go 
thy  way  for  this  time ;  when  I  have  a  con- 
venient season  I  will  call  for  thee." 

The    ^^ convenient    season"    never    came. 

It  is  a  true  saying,  '^Time  and  tide  wait 
for  no  man. ' '  Paul  languished  two  years  in 
the  guard-house,  while  Felix  continued  to 
take  his  pleasure  at  the  pace  that  kills. 
Then,  being  removed  from  office,  he  left  his 
prisoner  bound  ^^to  please  the  Jews." 

95 


PAUL'S  CAMPAIGNS 
THE  TRIAL  BEFORE  FESTUS 

The  next  Governor  was  a  different  sort  of 
man.  In  Josephus'  life  of  him  he  speaks  of 
Festus  as  ^'a  just  and  efficient  ruler."  He 
had  scarcely  entered  on  his  office  before 
there  came  a  request  that  Paul  might  be 
sent  back  to  Jerusalem  for  trial  before  the 
Sanhedrin.  A  fine  proceeding  that  would 
have  been!  Of  course  Festus  refused;  but 
he  invited  the  rabbis  to  come  down  to  Csesa- 
rea  and  conclude  the  case. 

A  few  days  later  they  were  on  hand;  and 
court  was  opened  with  Festus  on  the  bench. 
The  charge  was  presented  with  '^many  and 
grievous  complaints";  to  all  of  which  the 
prisoner  entered  his  former  plea  of  not 
guilty.  And  unfortunately  for  his  accusers 
they  had  still  no  evidence  against  him.  The 
Governor  was  disposed  to  favor  the  Jews  if 
it  could  be  done  without  violating  the  law; 
wherefore  he  asked  Paul  if  he  had  any  objec- 
tion to  the  transfer  of  his  case  to  Jerusalem 
that  he  might  "there  be  judged  of  these 
things." 

Paul's  forbearance  had  now  reached  its 

96 


PAUL'S  CAMPAIGNS 

limit.  He  was  weary  of  being  beaten  to  and 
fro  by  petty  magistrates  in  provincial  courts. 
Thus  far  be  bad  submitted  without  a  mur- 
mur; but  the  time  had  come  to  stand  upon 
his  personal  rights.  If  anybody  has  esti- 
mated the  stature  of  this  man  at  five  feet 
two,  let  him  measure  him  now!  '^I  have 
done  no  wrong;  I  have  spent  a  weary  term 
in  your  guard-house :  I  have  suffered  no  end 
of  indignities  at  your  hands.  I  will  not  go 
up  to  Jerusalem!  I  am  a  Eoman  citizen! 
I  appeal  to  Caesar!" 

After  a  brief  conference  with  his  coun- 
sellors as  to  the  prisoner's  right  of  appeal, 
there  being  no  alternative  the  decision  was 
given  in  legal  form:  ^'To  Caesar  thou  hast 
appealed;  to  Caesar  shalt  thou  go." 

The  court  adjourned,  and  Paul  went  back 
to  prison  to  await  the  sailing  of  a  govern- 
ment ship  which  was  to  convey  other  prison- 
ers also  to  the  imperial  city.  But  his  heart 
was  singing;  he  was  going  to  Rome!  Not 
indeed  as  he  had  hoped,  free  to  declare  the 
unsearchable  riches  of  Christ;  but  he  was 
going  to  Rome ;  and  he  was  going  in  the  way 
divinely  marked  out  for  him. 

97 


PAUL'S  CAMPAIGNS 
THE  PKISONER  AGAIN  ON  EXHIBITION 

It  happened  that,  while  Paul  was  awaiting 
his  transfer,  Agrippa,  the  King  of  Trachoni- 
tis,  came  down  to  Csesarea  to  felicitate 
Festus  on  his  accession  to  office;  and  his 
sister  Bernice,  a  famous  and  malodorous 
beauty,  came  with  him.  They  had  heard 
much  of  the  eloquent  Jew  and  expressed  a 
desire  to  hear  him. 

A  brilliant  company  was  assembled  in  the 
Pretorian  Hall  when  the  prisoner  was 
brought  in.  Being  '^ permitted  to  speak  for 
himself,"  he  began  with  the  story  of  his 
early  life,  leading  up  rapidly  to  his  singular 
conversion  on  the  Damascus  highway  and  to 
his  unwavering  conviction  that  the  crucified 
Jesus  was  the  long-looked-for  Messiah  of 
the  Jews.  At  this  point  Festus,  unable  to 
restrain  his  indignation,  cried:  ^^Paul, 
thou  art  beside  thyself ;  much  learning  doth 
make  thee  mad!"  ^'I  am  not  mad,  most 
noble  Festus,"  was  the  prisoner's  calm  re- 
joinder, ^^but  speak  forth  the  words  of  truth 
and  soberness."  Then  turning  to  the  royal 
guest,  himself  a  Jew,  he  appealed  to  his  an- 

98 


PAUL'S  CAMPAIGNS 

cestral  faith:  ^^King  Agrippa,  believest 
thou  the  prophets'?  I  know  that  thou  be- 
lievest ! '  ^  Paul  wa s  now  on  f  amili  ar  groun d. 
He  was  acquainted  with  the  prophets  from 
Moses  to  Malachi;  and  knew  how  they  all 
pointed  to  Jesus  as  the  Christ.  But 
Agrippa  was  in  no  mood  to  be  thus  cornered 
and  convinced  against  his  will.  His  answer 
was  a  scornful  jest,  ^^  Almost  thou  persuadest 
me  to  be  a  Christian!"  Whereupon  Paul, 
with  the  pathos  of  an  infinite  longing  in  his 
voice,  emphasized  by  the  clanking  of  the 
chains  upon  his  wrists,  made  courteous  re- 
ply, ^^I  would  to  God  that  not  only  thou,  but 
also  all  that  hear  me  this  day,  were  both 
^almost'  and  altogether  such  as  I  am — except 
these  bonds." 

The  hearing  is  over.  The  prisoner  is  re- 
turned to  the  guard-house.  In  a  corner  of 
the  Pretorian  Hall  a  group  of  his  auditors 
are  saying,  ^^This  man  hath  done  nothing 
worthy  of  death  or  even  of  bonds." 
Agrippa,  whose  sense  of  justice  will  not 
down,  observes  to  Festus,  ^^This  man  might 
have  been  set  at  liberty  if  he  had  not  ap- 
pealed unto  Caesar."    But  the  decree  of  the 

99 


PAUL'S  CAMPAIGNS 

court  is  irrevocable.  To  Caesar  he  must  go. 
In  his  lonely  cell  the  prisoner  awaits  the 
course  of  events.  He  is  troubled  by  no  mis- 
givings. God  leads  the  way  and  his  face  is 
set  steadfastly  to  go.  His  only  ambition  is 
to  finish  his  course  with  joy. 


100 


XIX 

PAUL'S  LAST  VOYAGE 

Acts  27 ;  28 : 1-14 

The  ship  was  swinging  at  anchor  in  the 
harbor  of  Cassarea,  when  a  favorable  wind 
sprang  up.  Paul  with  the  other  prisoners 
was  at  once  taken  aboard  in  the  custody  of 
a  centurion  named  Julius,  a  man  of  marked 
courtesy,  who  was  charged  with  their  safe 
conduct  to  Eome. 

THE  LOG  OF   THE  VOYAGE 
{Kept  hy  Luke  the  Physician,  a  Companion  of  Paul.) 

Aug,  21,  A.  D.  60,  Set  sail  due  north  in  a 
favorable  breeze  with  two  hundred  and  sev- 
enty-six souls  aboard. 

Aug,  22,  Touched  at  Sidon.  Paul  per- 
mitted to  go  ashore  and  interview  his 
friends.  Thence  in  a  northwesterly  course 
for  a  time,  after  which  due  west.  Delayed 
by  contrary  winds. 

101 


PAUL'S  CAMPAIGNS 

■Aug.  29,  Eeached  Myra,  where  we  were 
transferred  to  an  Alexandrian  corn-ship 
making  for  Eome.  Our  quarters  in  the  hold 
uncomfortable;  but  the  Lord  was  with  us. 
Winds  rising ;  progress  slow. 

Sept,  11,  Touched  at  Cnidus,  our  last 
Asiatic  port.  Desired  to  sail  due  west,  but 
forced  southward  by  rising  adverse  winds. 

Sept,  26,  Took  refuge  in  Fair  Havens  in 
the  island  of  Crete,  an  ill-sheltered  port. 
Lay  here  many  days,  waiting  for  favorable 
weather.  All  hope  of  reaching  Eome  be- 
fore winter  now  given  up.  The  storm  abat- 
ing for  a  while,  the  captain  was  disposed  to 
make  for  Phenice,  a  safe  and  commodious 
harbor  a  few  miles  further  on.  Paul 
warned  him  vainly  against  doing  so.  What 
could  a  landsman  like  him  know  about  navi- 
gation or  weather  signs  ? 

Oct,  18,  Set  sail  from  Fair  Havens  in  a 
treacherous  south  wind.  Had  scarcely 
rounded  the  cape  before  there  were  ominous 
signs  of  a  storm.  Euroclydon,  the  sailor's 
terror,  was  sweeping  down  from  the  hills! 
There  was  scarcely  time  to  take  in  sail  be- 
fore it  overtook  us.    The  second  day  out  the 

102 


PAUL'S  CAMPAIGNS 

vessel  struck  a  leak  and  was  undergirt  witH 
cables.  On  the  third  day  the  cargo  was 
thrown  over:  followed  the  next  day  by  all 
dispensable  furniture  and  other  equipments. 
Darkness  for  many  days ;  lost  our  bearings. 
Hope  abandoned.  Then  Paul  to  the  rescue ! 
He  bade  the  sailors  be  of  good  cheer,  because 
an  angel  of  the  Lord  had  appeared  to  him 
in  a  vision  saying  that  he  himself  was  to 
reach  Rome  safely  and  that  there  would  be 
^^no  loss  of  life"  among  the  ship's  crew  and 
passengers.  Thereupon  courage  revived; 
but  the  typhoon  swept  on. 

Nov,  1.  Wrecked  on  the  coast  of  Malta. 
We  were  wakened  at  midnight  by  the  look- 
out calling  ^^Land  ahead!"  Soundings 
were  taken;  twenty  fathoms,  then  fifteen. 
Cast  anchor  and  awaited  the  break  of  day. 
The  crew  intending  to  take  possession  of  the 
boats,  Paul  interposed,  warning  the  captain 
that  unless  they  remained  all  would  be  lost. 
His  advice  was  taken;  the  ropes  were  cut, 
setting  the  boats  adrift.  Paul,  the  lands- 
man, was  now  in  practical  command  of  the 
ship.  After  long  fasting  all  partook  of 
food.     In  the  morning,  finding  ourselves  at 

103 


PAUL'S  CAMPAIGNS 

the  entrance  of  a  bay,  it  was  resolved  to  run 
in.  The  ship  went  aground  and  was  at  the 
mercy  of  the  pounding  breakers.  The 
soldiers,  being  answerable  with  their  lives 
for  the  prisoners,  would  have  killed  them  to 
prevent  their  escape;  but  the  centurion  in 
charge  forbade  it.  Each  for  himself,  now! 
Many,  leaping  out,  swam  ashore.  Others 
betook  themselves  to  boards  and  broken 
pieces  of  the  ship.  So  it  came  to  pass  that 
all  escaped  safe  to  land. 

The  island  proved  to  be  Malta.  The  bar- 
barous inhabitants  received  us  kindly.  A 
fire  was  kindled  on  the  shore.  Out  of  the 
fagots  crept  a  viper  which  fastened  on  Paul's 
hand.  The  natives  expected  him  to  fall 
dead;  but  he  shook  it  off  and  received  no 
harm.  Thereupon  they  whispered  among 
themselves,  ^^ He  is  a  god!" 

The  fury  of  the  simoon  was  now  spent; 
but  we  remained  three  months  in  the  island 
waiting  for  the  Castor  and  Pollux^  a  corn- 
ship  which  lay  weather-bound  in  the  harbor, 
to  take  us  off. 

Feb.  8,  A.  D.  61,  Sailed  on  the  Castor  and 
Pollux, 

104 


PAUL'S  CAMPAIGNS 

Feb,  9,  Touched  at  Syracuse:  waited 
three  days  for  a  more  favorable  wind. 

Feb,  13,  Made  eighty  miles  in  a  southerly 
breeze  and  touched  at  Rhegium.     One  day. 

Feb,  14,  Made  Puteoli,  the  chief  port  of 
Italy,  and  disembarked.  Met  some  of  the 
brethren.  Tarried  seven  days.  Then  on, 
afoot,  toward  Rome,  a  distance  of  a  hundred 
and  forty  miles. 

So  runs  the  Log  of  this  eventful  voyage, 
consuming  half  a  year.  Its  one  outstanding 
lesson  is  the  serene  faith  of  Paul.  While  the 
storm  was  raging  he  slept  soundly  on  three 
pillows ;  namely,  the  wisdom  and  power  and 
goodness  of  God. 

Ridge  of  the  mountain  wave,  lower  thy  crest ! 
iWail  of  Euroclydon,  be  thou  at  rest ! 
Sorrow  can  never  be,  darkness  must  fly, 
"When  saith  the  Light  of  light,  *' Peace,  it  is  I !'' 

Observe,  First,  Paul  ^* believed  God." 
Having  certain  promises,  he  took  them  at 
their  face  value.  Thus  it  is  written,  ^^He 
that  cometh  to  God  must  believe  that  he  is, 
and  that  he  is  the  rewarder  of  them  that 
diligently  seek  him." 

105 


PAUL'S  CAMPAIGNS 

Second,  he  ^^  practised  the  divine  pres- 
ence." On  the  darkest  night  of  the  simoon 
he  had  a  most  hopeful  vision  of  which  he 
says, ' '  The  Lord  stood  by  me. "  It  is  always 
so  with  those  who  live  on  speaking  terms 
with  God. 

Third,  his  faith  was  buttressed  by  com- 
mon sense.  Notwithstanding  his  confidence 
that  all  aboard  were  to  be  saved,  he  assured 
the  captain  that  if  the  crew  was  not  pre- 
vented from  seizing  the  boats  all  would  be 
lost.  The  divine  sovereignty  does  not  inter- 
fere with  the  freedom  of  the  human  will. 

Fourth,  his  assurance  was  coupled  with 
praise.  He  ^^said  grace"  over  the  frugal 
meal  on  the  tossing  ship.  During  all  those 
frightful  ^^ fourteen  days  in  Adria"  he  never 
lost  confidence  in  the  Lord's  faithfulness. 
It  is  thus  that  God  giveth  his  beloved  songs 
in  the  night. 

It  is  in  this  spirit  that  Paul  writes  to  his 
PhiUppian  friends:  ^'Rejoice  in  the  Lord 
alway:  and  again  I  say.  Rejoice.  ...  Be 
careful  for  nothing;  but  in  everything  by 
prayer  and  supplication  with  thanksgiving 
let  your  requests  be  made  known  unto  God." 

106 


XX 

AT  ROME 

Acts  28 : 15-31 

It  was  early  spring  of  the  year  61  when 
the  Castor  and  Pollux  came  sailing  up 
through  the  beautiful  Bay  of  Naples  to  Pu- 
teoli.  The  crew  and  passengers  debarked; 
and  presently  Paul  and  his  fellow-prisoners 
set  out  for  their  destination  along  Appia 
Via.  At  villages  on  the  way  Paul  was  met 
by  many  brethren;  wherefore,  he  says,  ^^we 
thanked  God  and  took  courage."  So  at 
length  he  reached  Rome,  a  prisoner  in  bonds. 

His  life-long  dream  was  realized  at  last: 
' '  I  must  see  Rome ! ' '  But  why  this  consum- 
ing desire  ? 

Rome  was  well  worth  seeing,  no  doubt, 
with  its  palaces  and  temples,  its  Forum  and 
Colosseum  and  triumphal  arches.  *^See 
Rome  and  die,''  was  one  of  the  familiar 
proverbs  of  those  days.     It  was  the  metrop- 

107 


PAUL'S  CAMPAIGNS 

olis  of  the  world ;  all  great  enterprises  cen- 
tered there.  No  tourist,  even  nowadays,  is 
content  until,  with  ^^ Baedeker"  in  hand,  he 
visits  Rome;  though  its  ancient  splendors 
are  now  reduced  to  a  lamentable  mass  of 
ruins. 

But  PauPs  desire  reached  further  and 
went  deeper  than  this.  Though  a  great  trav- 
eller, he  had  no  thought  of  sight-seeing.  As 
an  ^^ ambassador  of  Christ"  he  longed  to  wit- 
ness far  and  wide  for  him.  To  stand  in  the 
Forum  and  preach  the  gospel  there  at  the 
confluence  of  the  nations  would  be  to  send 
his  voice  ringing  to  the  uttermost  parts  of 
the  earth.  A  lofty  ambition,  indeed !  This 
man  was  never  content  with  mediocrity.  He 
had  ^^ hitched  his  wagon  to  a  star." 

It  would  appear  that  his  intention  of  vis- 
iting Eome  was  conceived  at  the  very  begin- 
ning of  his  Christian  life. 

The  dream  of  his  boyhood  had  been  to  be- 
come a  rabbi.  With  that  in  view  he  left  his 
home  in  Tarsus  and  studied  in  the  University 
of  Jerusalem,  at  the  feet  of  the  learned  Ga- 
maliel, who  was  known  as  **the  Flower  of 
the  Law. ' '     Soon  after  his  graduation  with 

108 


PAUL'S  CAMPAIGNS 

high  honors  he  was  chosen  a  member  of  the 
Sanhedrin,  which  was  the  Supreme  Court  of 
the  Jews.  A  splendid  outlook  was  before 
him.  Presently  he  was  made  Chief  Inquis- 
itor of  that  distinguished  body,  and  was 
placed  under  a  special  commission  to  root 
out  ''the  heresy  of  the  Nazarenes."  It  was 
while  thus  engaged  that  he  made  his  notable 
journey  to  Damascus  ^^ breathing  out  slaugh- 
ter'^  against  the  followers  of  Christ. 

Then  came  the  revolutionary  change.  In 
the  light  that  shone  from  heaven,  '^  above  the 
brightness  of  the  sun,"  his  plans  and  pur- 
poses were  instantly  turned  upside  down. 
He  fell  to  the  earth  a  rabbi;  he  rose  up  a 
Christian.  Hearing  a  voice  say,  ^^I  am 
Jesus,"  his  immediate  answer  was,  ^^What 
wilt  thou  have  me  to  do'?"  The  reply  was, 
**I  will  send  thee  far  hence  unto  the  Gen- 
tiles"; in  other  words,  to  all  people.  That 
meant  sooner  or  later  to  Eome;  for  Rome 
was  colluvies  gentium,  the  center  of  the  civ- 
ized  world  of  those  days. 

From  that  time  forward  he  was  unreserv- 
edly committed  to  the  service  of  Christ. 
Forsaken  by  former  friends,  with  all  ave- 

109 


PAUL'S  CAMPAIGNS 

Hues  of  preferment  blocked  up,  he  hewed 
to  the  line  which  had  been  divinely  marked 
out  for  him.  Listen  to  this:  ^^I  count  all 
things  but  loss  for  the  excellency  of  the 
knowledge  of  Christ  Jesus  my  Lord;  .  .  . 
that  I  may  know  him  and  the  power  of  his 
resurrection  and  the  fellowship  of  his  suffer- 
ings. ...  I  count  not  myself  to  have  appre- 
hended; but  this  one  thing  1  do,  forgetting 
those  things  which  are  behind,  and  reaching 
forth  unto  those  things  which  are  before,  I 
press  toward  the  mark  for  the  prize  of  the 
high  calling  of  God  in  Christ  Jesus." 

Did  the  Lord  approve  of  his  desire  to  see 
Eome?  Paul  affirms  that  his  purpose  was 
^* according  to  the  will  of  God."  He  says 
repeatedly  that  ^Hhe  Lord  stood  by  him." 
If  ever  there  was  a  Christian  who  felt  him- 
self a  living  part  of  the  divine  plan  and  de- 
sired, above  all,  to  hold  himself  in  line  with 
the  divine  will,  it  was  this  man. 

On  the  day  when  he  first  saw  Jesus  he  put 
himself  so  wholly  and  implicitly  under  his 
control  that  looking  back,  years  afterward, 
he  could  say,  *^I  have  not  been  disobedient 
unto  the  heavenly  vision. ' '    His  Lord 's  pur- 

110 


PAUL'S  CAMPAIGNS 

pose  was  his  ultimate  goal,  and  he  followed 
it  as  a  sailor  heeds  the  polar  star.  Once 
when  he  essayed  to  go  into  Bithynia  he  de- 
sisted, as  he  says,  because  "the  Spirit  suf- 
fered him  not."  In  writing  to  the  Chris- 
tians at  Kome  he  says,  ^^  Oftentimes  I  pur- 
posed to  come  unto  you,  and  was  hindered." 
(Rom.  1 :  13.)  Nevertheless  he  was  not 
discouraged.  He  reckoned  Rome  as  a 
necessary  factor  in  the  finishing  of  his 
course. 

He  never  for  a  moment  gave  up  his  pur- 
pose and  expectation.  It  was  nineteen  years 
after  his  conversion,  at  the  conclusion  of  his 
evangelistic  campaign  in  Ephesus  when  the 
converts  made  a  great  bonfire  of  their  cabal- 
istic books,  that  he  ^^ purposed  in  spirit"  to 
extend  his  campaign  through  Macedonia  and 
Achaia  and  thence  to  Jerusalem,  saying, 
*^ After  that,  I  must  see  Rome!" 

Two  years  subsequently  he  wrote  his  Epis- 
tle to  the  Romans,  reassuring  them  of  his 
purpose  to  visit  them.  He  begins  by  saying, 
*'God  is  my  witness,  whom  I  serve  with  my 
spirit  in  the  gospel  of  his  Son,  that  without 

ceasing  I  make  mention  of  you  always  in  my 

111 


PAUL'S  CAMPAIGNS 

prayers;  making  request,  if  by  any  means 
now  at  length  I  might  have  a  prosperous 
journey  by  the  will  of  God  to  come  unto  you. 
For  I  long  to  see  you,  that  I  may  impart  unto 
you  some  spiritual  gifts,  to  the  end  ye  may 
be  established;  that  is,  that  I  may  be  com- 
forted together  with  you  by  the  mutual  faith 
both  of  you  and  me."  And  in  closing  he 
pathetically  urges  them  to  unite  their 
prayers  with  his  to  that  end:  ^^I  beseech 
you,  brethren,  for  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ's 
sake  and  for  the  love  of  the  Spirit,  that  ye 
strive  together  with  me  in  your  prayers,  that 
I  may  be  delivered  from  them  that  do  not 
believe,  that  I  may  come  to  you  with  joy  by 
the  will  of  God." 

But  he  was  strangely  hindered  in  the  ac- 
complishment of  his  desire.  To  use  his  own 
words,  ^^I  oftentimes  purposed,  and  was  hin- 
dered hitherto."  And  again,  ^^ Having  a 
great  desire  these  many  years  to  come  unto 
you." 

In  the  year  47  he  set  out  on  a  missionary 
journey  with  his  face  toward  the  west.  He 
probably  hoped  then  to  reach  the  Imperial 
City;  but,  having  preached  in  many  places, 

112 


PAUL'S  CAMPAIGNS  ' 

he  came  to  Cilicia  and  was  there  constrained 
to  turn  back. 

In  the  year  50  he  set  out  again  toward 
the  west.  On  this  occasion  he  crossed  the 
Hellespont  and  canvassed  many  of  the  im- 
portant cities  of  Europe  until  he  reached 
Corinth;  and  again  he  was  obliged  to  turn 
back. 

In  the  year  53  he  started  on  his  third  mis- 
sionary journey  in  the  direction  of  Rome. 
It  was  now  sixteen  years  since  his  conver- 
sion, and  he  was  apparently  no  nearer  the 
fulfilment  of  his  heart's  desire.  Again  he 
reached  Corinth ;  but  there  were  imperative 
reasons  for  his  being  at  Jerusalem  in  time 
for  the  Feast  of  Pentecost ;  wherefore  once 
more  he  retraced  his  steps. 

But  ^^he  that  believeth  shall  not  make 
haste."  Paul's  patience  of  hope  was  sure 
to  be  rewarded.  He  could  afford  to  wait, 
because,  as  he  says,  he  ^* believed  God." 

At  length  his  desire  was  realized,  but  in  a 
singular  way.  ^^Man  proposes;  God  dis- 
poses." He  reached  Eome  a  prisoner  in 
bonds.  At  once  he  was  taken  to  the  Pre- 
torian  Camp ;  where,  though  in  close  custody 

113 


PAUL'S  CAMPAIGNS 

for  two  years,  he  was  permitted  to  see  his 
friends.  He  conferred  with  the  Jews  by  ap- 
pointment, seeking  in  vain  to  persuade  them 
that  ^Hhis  Jesus  is  the  Christ."  He  held 
frequent  converse  with  the  Christians  of  the 
Roman  church,  and  received  many  visitors 
who  desired  to  know  about  ^'The  Way." 

Time  passed,  and  Paul  was  again  cast  into 
prison:  this  time  in  the  Mammertine  jail. 
But  ^' stone  walls  do  not  a  prison  make  nor 
iron  bars  a  cage."  He  was  not  idle  in  that 
noisome  place:  and  ''the  word  of  God  is  not 
bound."  Some  of  Paul's  most  important 
letters  were  written  there.  Old  and  feeble, 
he  could  not  be  put  down.  His  irrepressi- 
ble zeal  in  the  service  of  his  Lord  reminds 
us  of  what  an  old  poet  says : 

^  ^  Tumble  me  down,  and  I  will  sit 
Exultant  on  my  ruins  yet!" 

His  keen  soul  caught  the  presentiment  of 
the  coming  end,  his  ear  the  footfall  of  the 
executioner  ringing  down  the  corridor  of  the 
jail.  But  he  was  not  terrified.  ^'I  am  now 
ready  to  be  offered  and  the  time  of  my  de- 
parture is  at  hand,"  he  wrote  to  Timothy, 


PAUL'S  CAMPAIGNS 

Ms  spiritual  son  and  successor  in  the  pastor- 
ate of  the  Ephesian  church.  ' '  I  have  fought 
a  good  fight,  I  have  finished  my  course,  I 
have  kept  the  faith.  Henceforth  there  is 
laid  up  for  me  a  crown  of  righteousness 
which  the  Lord,  the  righteous  Judge,  shall 
give  me  at  that  day.  Grace  be  with  you. 
Amen." 

They  led  him  to  the  headsman's  block, 
outside  the  walls.  A  blow  of  the  gleaming 
axe ;  and  the  great  apostle  was  at  home  with 
God. 

What  is  the  lesson  ? 

The  splendor  of  a  great  ambition. 

Paul  was  not  content  with  anything  less 
than  the  noblest  and  best.  For  one  thing, 
he  wanted  to  make  the  most  of  himself ;  and 
Eome  was  needed  for  the  rounding  out  of 
his  life. 

I  like  the  prayer  of  the  humble  cobbler 
who  used  to  ask  every  day,  ^^Lord,  give  me  a 
good  opinion  of  myself";  but  such  a  prayer 
is  vain  without  something  worth  while  be- 
hind it. 

This  is  a  responsibility  which  ought  to 
rest  upon  the  conscience  of  every  one.    The 

116 


PAUL'S  CAMPAIGNS 

world  would  be  a  different  world  but  for  its 
*^mute  inglorious  Miltons."  The  Church 
would  long  ago  have  conquered  the  world 
were  it  not  that  so  many  are  satisfied  with 
being  minimum  Christians,  inactive  and  in- 
different, imbedded  like  flies  in  amber. 
Who  shall  number  the  potential  Lincolns 
who,  for  lack  of  ambition,  are  rail-splitters 
all  their  lives?  Wherefore,  ^^stir  up  the 
gift  that  is  in  thee."  There  is  fire  enough 
in  the  embers  of  every  Christian  life  if  only 
it  were  fanned  into  a  flame.  No  minister  is 
at  liberty  to  be  satisfied  with  a  small  parish 
if  his  gifts  and  calling  are  adequate  to  the 
responsibilities  of  a  larger  one.  Every  man 
is  under  bonds  to  be  somebody,  not  for  the 
sake  of  getting  into  the  limelight  but  in 
order  that  he  may  make  his  life  tell.  Our 
light  was  not  kindled  to  be  hid  under  a 
bushel,  but  to  shine  so  that  ^^all  that  are  in 
the  house"  may  take  knowledge  of  it. 

But  Paul  was  thinking  less  of  being  some- 
body than  of  doing  something  for  somebody. 
The  chain  on  his  right  hand  bound  him  to 
Christ.  With  what  joyous  pride  he  speaks 
of  himself  as  ''the  prisoner  of  Christ!" 

116 


PAUL'S  CAMPAIGNS 

There  was  no  reserve  in  Ms  consecration: 
^ '  The  love  of  Christ  constraineth  me ! "  But 
his  service  to  Christ  was  expressed  in 
ministry  to  others;  as  Christ  himself  had 
said,  ^'Inasmuch  as  ye  have  done  it  unto  one 
of  the  least  of  these  my  brethren  ye  have 
done  it  unto  Me." 

The  same  chain  that  bound  Paul  to  his 
Lord  bound  him  to  one  of  the  Eoman  guards ; 
and  he  preached  the  Gospel  to  that  man. 
Not  a  few  of  his  spiritual  children  were  thus 
begotten  in  his  bonds.  ^'They  that  are  of 
Caesar 's  household  salute  you. ' '  No  pent-up 
TJtica  confined  his  influence.  The  reason 
why  he  longed  to  visit  Eome  was  because  it 
was  a  coign  of  vantage  from  which  to  sound 
forth  the  riches  of  grace.  There  were  two 
millions  of  people  there,  all  immortal  souls  I 
From  there  he  must  send  his  message, 
''This  Jesus  is  the  Christ,"  ringing  through 
the  world  and  down  the  ages.  Nothing  less 
would  satisfy  him.  To  reach  Rome  would 
thus  be  to  finish  his  course  with  joy. 

The  world  has  been  moving  since  Paul 
came  sailing  into  Puteoli  on  the  ^^ Castor  and 
Pollux/^    Not  long  ago  I  followed  in  his 

117 


PAUL'S  CAMPAIGNS 

very  footsteps  along  the  Appian  Way.  The 
dusk  was  falling;  the  shadows  of  the  Faler- 
nian  Hills  lay  over  the  plain,  and  in  the  dis- 
tance the  dome  of  St.  Peter's  was  dimly  out- 
lined against  the  sky.  Nero  no  longer  dwelt 
in  his  blood-stained  quarters  on  the  Pala- 
tine. In  the  cottages  by  the  roadside  were 
people  sitting  in  vine-covered  porches  with 
none  to  molest  or  make  them  afraid.  The 
Gospel  has  not  been  shining  for  naught 
these  nineteen  hundred  years.  And  what- 
ever has  been  accomplished  for  the  better- 
ment of  the  world  has  been  through  the  in- 
strumentality of  men  who  like  Paul  were 
constrained  to  service  ^^by  the  will  of  God." 
Wherefore  let  us  be  our  best  and  do  our 
utmost  for  Him  who  has  redeemed  us  by 
his  precious  blood.  We  are  all  too  easily 
satisfied.  The  words  with  which  William 
Carey  closed  his  great  sermon  inaugurating 
the  modern  campaign  of  Missions  strike  an 
inspiring  note  for  all  earnest  souls:  ^^Let 
us  undertake  great  things  for  God,  and  ex- 
pect great  things  from  him/^ 


118 


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